Do Ho Suh

Do-Ho-Suh

It’s amazing how little objects or little toy men or women can transform into creative installations Do Ho Suh has created little objects or figurines to create very interesting installations. One such installation is the use of dog tags called “Some/One” the meaning implies of one own self identity from a thousand identities, the dog tags, to picture a form of a Korean. I like his message he makes with the figurines. Also his art seems to express himself and view of society or his homeland of South Korea.    

 

"Some/One" 2001 Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York

Looking at “Some/One” gives the appearance of majesty or ancient Oriental armor to the viewer, but when one sees the robe’s skin of dog tags; for me it represents death, of one’s insignificant life in the grand scheme of war. Knowing that the artist is from Korea and was required to join the Korean army gives more meaning to the piece.  Do Ho Suh evokes emotions for the viewers about the significance of life. The robe is close to seven feet in height and ten feet in width. It is military coat has over 3,000 dog tags in a repetitive scale like pattern.

Another unique style Do Ho Suh created was the use of mini figurines. Small plastic figurines become assembled substitution of a wall, bridge or rubber doormat. Most of the figurines are made to look like everyday objects.  One example below the,  “Doormat: Welcome (Amber)” was made with an orange rubber material  appearing as a normal  doormat at a standing distance  but the texture deceives the individual that the mat itself is composed of tiny figurines.  At eyes’ level these translucent figures appear to be ready to bear the weight of the unsuspecting person ready to step on the doormat. The same illusion applies for “Net-work” small metal like figurines connected in a pattern to look like a fishing net such as in the pictures below.

     

Doormat: Welcome (Amber) 1998 Polyurethane rubber, 1 1/4 x 28 x 19 inches Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York

 

Net-work, 2010 Japan Gold and chrome plating with polyurethane coating on ABS plastic, and nylon fishing net

Another installation is “Karma”. This work depicts small figurines running from giant legs wearing a suit and nice black shoes stepping or about to step on them. The installation of the picture below “Public Figures” I believe has a meaning. Many commemorate statues depicts one or several type of people. For instance, many soldiers help no matter what group or ethnicity to finish this one goal. Suh wanted to make these six hundred figurines both male and female with different race and ethnicity holding their memorial. His works allow the viewer to think of his message. Suh makes these mediums to experiment with his experiment of space or of mass. Most do have a message about individuality.

  Public Figures 1998-1999 Installation view at Metrotech Center Commons, Brooklyn, New YorkFiberglass/resin, steel pipes, pipe fittings, 10 x 7 x 9 feet Lehmann Maupin Gallery, New York

Fresh Air Exhibition

I had a chance to visit the Fresh Air Juried Exhibition of new artists many from the northwest. I enjoyed the new media and had my brain tricked from afar with two of the 3-D artworks. The paintings with oil were well done as a whole composition.

One has the appearance of pop art. It was fairly large (the first painting one views upon entering the gallery) more than a couple feet wide and the height was about the same. The composition had a meaning of the American flag and tiny animated characters one similar to Looney Tunes and the other similar to 1940s war posters. I liked the artist use of skewing the stripes in quarter section one going vertically and the other going horizontally. The characters of course like other pop arts from the past have a meaning. For me, it seemed to represent the large part of American society fascination of commercial objects rather than important things like their children and the other war. One character placed on the top right was a blue bird like Tweety dropping a bomb. The other was a mother appearing to be texting in her iPod ignoring her son’s excitement.

The other painting is found in the art department website called Remedy. It was organic and had the appearance of the inside of the human body with arteries and hearts. I liked the artist use of a light pink nylon? added to the composition. Its transparent material and holes gave the layout more attention.

The other painting was a mix of oil and acrylic with a thick texture. I can’t recall the name, but it had a meaning of inferno or a word relatable. It had an impressionist appearance with the blurry subject of whole bridge ablaze. It’s fascinating walking to it from a distance. It’s more realistic like a picture. I like his use of perspective by placing the bridge in an angle. It made it appear large and reaching far into the distance. I also liked the flaming bridge in a night setting. The negative space has a meaning by bringing all the focus to the bridge. I also think its difficult trying to add smoke in a night setting. It reminds me of James Whistler painting Falling Rocket with his use of fire in the night and his use of blue and gray colors other than black.      

The 3-D pieces were very interesting. One seemed to be an ordinary pillow in glass case. It looked very realistic with its form and how it lay upright in the glass case but like an illusion it was only ceramic with a thick plain blue or pink glaze. It looked soft and plain like an old pillow. The other was fascinating because it was fairly large wooden blocks made to look like a ceramic with shiny glossy finish like glass. There was four blocks each with its own relief, but one stood out from the rest. The last one l enjoyed because it was carved out from the top to appear like a whirlpool. It was an enjoyable visit to the gallery and I was very interested in grabbing some of the pieces to feel its texture, alas not today.   

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