Meet Do Ho Suh – Destiny Morgan

Meet Do Ho Suh by Destiny Morgan

Seoul, Korea, 1962 is where and when Do Ho Suh came into this world. He served a term in the south Korean military and attended Seoul National University were he earned his BFA and MFA in oriental painting. Later he relocated and continued his study in the United states at the Rhode Island school of design and also Yale University. He is best known for his convoluted sculptures of which are more than just objects to look at. He is interested in how people interact with, view, and occupy public space. With that being said, people can literally walk on some of these sculptures, the floor sculptures.

As you can see here, these people are standing on top of thousands of unique and tiny human figures.

Another one of his floor sculptures is titled “Some/One”. In this work, there is a covering of hundreds of military dog tags on the ground which rise one on top of the other to form an empty suit of armor. This phantom armor reveals the reality of how a military is made up of individual soldiers.

Another outstanding work of his is “Rubbing/Loving”. In which he covers his old apartment, in New York, entirely with white paper and then rubs every inch with a colored pencil capturing all of the memories from years of inhabiting the space. Below is a clip that shows the art in the making and in this clip he explains the reason for the title which is truly beautiful on it’s own. This would be his final artwork in this apartment for he had done some works with and in it previously.

Do Ho Suh’s work often deals with space and how we perceive it. He works with a variety of mediums to create pieces that provoke us to think more deeply of the places we inhabit as human beings and what those places mean to us.

Suh’s work has been featured in the following museums: Seattle Art Museum and Seattle Asian Art Museum, Whitney Museum of American Art at Philip Morris, Serpentine Gallery in London, and Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City, Missouri. Do Ho Suh also represented Korea at the Venice Biennale in 2001.

References:

https://www.art21.org/artists/do-ho-suh

https://www.youtube.com

Images:

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www.art21.org/files/imagecache/explore_body_full/images/suh-rubbing-still-057.jpg

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https://richardjunsangcho4d.files.wordpress.com/2016/04/seattle-art-museum-do-ho-suh-some-one.jpg

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Diana Al-Hadid by Maicey Scott.

Diana-Al-Hadid experiments with material in such a way, that she floats between the realms of sculpture and painting.

Her processes fluctuate, yet are continuously messy, moving, dripping.

She’s fascinated with suspension, size, liquidation and decay, and has said that the reason for making such large pieces are so she is able to “navigate through them.” Navigation is such a wonderful way to put it, because her intricate lines and massive scale give you this strange sense of bewilderment.

Born originally in Syria, and not always familiar with biblical stories, Diana takes a part of “Western” culture and makes it her own. She allows mainly Northern Renaissance paintings to be her inspiration. There are specific Christian images that can be recognized in a few of her paintings and sculptures, but she tends to stray away from the idea that her pieces reflect certain interpretations. Though they may share the same ethereal characteristics of Mannerist works, for example, her work is very ambiguous.

Architecture appears to be a big part of her life, and though at times her form seems less than practical, Her larger, more three dimensional pieces are heavily supported with hidden steel bars and complex framing. She is amused with giving her sculptures the appearance of instability, “Unfortunately, sculpture has to obey gravity, I have this painting envy of Northern Renaissance and Mannerist paintings. They are given more liberties with illusion and space, while I’m dealing with actual gravity. “To get a sculpture to get off the floor, that’s the first way to rebel, that’s the main event. “I work pretty hard trying to have my sculptures not to fall. I don’t want to burden the viewer with mechanical details, but instead make something that seems improbable. I have enough reality in my life, and not that I live in such a fantasy world, I just want to weigh in on the other side “.

“I’m married to an architect, that’s why I realize I’d be a terrible one, but in terms of drawing out space or building structures, or thinking of counterweights and triangles, I’m still a builder at heart”.

“Al-Hadid creates her works by “painting” in polymer gypsum, fiberglass and plaster, forming a loose image in trails and drips over a wall-like support. She then pries the image off the backing, resulting in a stiff, lace-like scrim.”
These “fossils” are then aligned and suspended, or given frames. Her process is incredibly physical. Layers are continuously added and taken away. She is deliberately always cutting, pasting, warping, and transforming her work. There is a constant state of change, this perpetual movement in her world of celestial beauty. Religion is somewhat an allegory for this layering process. As people form religions in various cultures, she allows herself full range of the exploration of these spiritual images.

“Exquisite Mass.” Cultured Magazine – June/July 2015. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
“Diana Al-Hadid’s Suspended Reality.” ART21 New York Close Up. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
“Ground and Figures.” Exhibitions. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.
“Such Beautiful Decay.” Los Angeles Times. Los Angeles Times, n.d. Web. 10 Nov. 2015.

William Cochran

William Cochran is an American artist, sculptor, and visionary. He creates works of art using paint, stone, steel, bronze and glass. He and his wife, Teresa often work together in the creative process of his designs. He also works with community leaders to accomplish projects that help to unite neighborhoods and bring new life to the area. One such project was the “Community Bridge” of Frederick, MD., where he used the creative power of people of all ages and walks of life to transform a concrete bridge into a work of art. What started out as a project to beautify and correct a flood prone area in the town of Frederick ended up touching the lives of people all around the world and drawing a once divided community together. The project seemed to take on a life of its own and is now brings people to a once abandon side of town.

Taking on social issues is a theme of Cochran’s work. To the right is a photo of “Pillar of Fire”, a 2000 pound glass sculpture that pays tribute to the AIDS healthcare workers in Washington DC, during the early 1980. In the early years of the AIDS-HIV pandemic, little was known about the disease. These dedicated healthcare workers gave compassionate care to those afflicted with the virus. The workers faced opposition and almost no funding as they worked tirelessly to help those who’s very life were at stake. Pillar of Fire is lit from inside and well as out to symbolize the pillar of fire at night and a pillar of smoke by day that led the Hebrew children through the desert to the promised land. It is a symbol of hope to those afflicted with the AIDS virus and a tribute to those who cared for them when others turned their backs.

One of William Cochran’s best known works is that of the Community Bridge in Frederick MD. He used the trompe l’oeil (French for fool the eye) technique to turn a plain concrete bridge into an old stone bridge complete with statues and ivy. Unless the observer looks closely they will never know they have been fooled. The city still gets complaints from the concerned public about trimming back the ivy that is overtaking the piece of art. Below is the video of the “building” of a community through art.

The Community Bridge p.t 1

Community Bridge pt. 2

Community Bridge pt.3

Cochran is one of a few artists living today to use the Renaissance technique of anamorphic projection, which creates an illusion of depth when viewed from certain angles. The perspective changes from the viewer’s vantage point; this technique was used in the painting of the archangel on the side of the bridge. When the viewer is on the bridge looking over, the angel appears to be leaning out of the bridge and watching over the community. His artwork has helped the city of Frederick win the Great American Main Street Award in 2005 from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Below are photos of three of the best known paintings on the Community Bridge.

The Caiedral represents the Samaritan woman at the well and it speaks of how no one should be looked down upon because of the ethnicity. She was selected to become part of the bridge painting to make the statement that the bridge was for all people regardless of which “side of the bridge” they found themselves.

The Hidden Door, is another popular image on The Community Bridge. The viewer must go up to the painted gate and look “inside” through the ironwork to see the hidden door. This part of the bridge is another area that has hidden symbols. The city of Frederick often gets complaints by the public that something needs to be done about the ivy that is taking over the bridge, but it is doubtful the hand painted ivy will grow any larger.

The Archangel, is probably the best known work on the bridge. Cochran used the Renaissance technique of anamorphic projection. Standing at the base of the bridge, the angel looks mis-shaped. The observer has to stand on top of the bridge and look over to see the true image. When seen from the correct angle, the angel appears to be leaning out of the bridge and looking at the viewer.

Below are some of the awards and honors bestowed on William Cochran:

Award for Excellence, National Glass Association

Core Values Award, International Association of Public Participation.

International exhibit, architectural art glass, University of Mexico in 2007.

Public art consultant and design team artist for National Endowment for the Arts Mayor’s Institute of City Design grant for City of Rochester.

Project of the Year Award, American Public Works Association.

Identified in a recent art history textbook as significant figure in public art in North America.

Great American Main Street Award, National Trust for Historic Preservation in 2005 – Frederick, Maryland

Sources:

http://www.williamcochran.com

http://www.bing.com/images

www.artisphereonline.com/2011/02/14/writers/william–cochran

www.tndtownpaper.com/Volume3/artist_bill_cochran.htm

Hyungsub Shin (Korean Art Fair)

Hyungsub Shin went to high school at 부평고등학교. He graduated in 1988, and attended Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea. He graduated from university in 1996. For grad school Shin ventured across the sea to NYC’s School of Visual Arts. He still lives in NYC with his wife, Sanghee Yoo.

Shin participated in the Korean Art Show that we visited during our trip. This show is designed to showcase the rising art of Korea. This year is the third year of the event. Over 10,000 visitors experienced the contemporary Korean art last year. Fifteen Korean galleries will take over 82 Mercer St, NY, NY. Hyungsub Shin is one of the special exhibitors.

Shin makes sculptural pieces. He has placed art on buildings, sidewalks, bridges, and in parks. His works have an organic feel. He uses only a few materials to create the forms, some have only one material.

Shin also paints. His paintings take on free organic forms similar to his sculptures.

Shin is participating in the Korean Art Show to increase awareness of Korean art to the world. New York is the best place to share their culture with the world. He is using traditional Korean ideals in his art work, bold color, natural forms and surface decoration.