Sculptural disciplines are most associated with the weight and heaviness of dense materials, expertly carved or rendered to create an artwork depicted as a third dimensional expression – present in the spaces we inhabit from varying tangible angles. Korean sculptor Do Ho Suh defies all notions of attachments to sedimentary materials, employing instead, the tactile and ephemeral nature of translucent fabrics to create installations of domestic settings – delicately sewn down to the smallest detail; astonishing in both presence and craftsmanship.
This particular latest collection creates a bridge somewhere between garment construction and architecture; relaying an artistic skill that requires an interrogation of everyday objects such as light switches, door handles and stairs in an impossibly delicate and evocative way and in an array of uniformed colour palettes that read smoothly with the eye. Viewing mundane fixtures and appliances in such a rare light feels somewhat playful; as if these habitual aspects of life really can be reimagined with swathes of fabric to be lighter and more interesting spaces – I somehow feel a greater appreciation for the proportions of a simple room and setting with this work – as the concept of the “home” and what it is becoming to signify in an increasingly globalised and urbanised world is ever more relevant to question in the artistic landscape.
Do Ho Suh is a prolific artist originating in Seoul, Korea; having served in the Korean military in his early life, before going onto study fine art in both Seoul and the USA. He consistently arranges a dialogue around scale in his continued work – and it appears as though a cohesive element of his work lies in creating larger than life installations that convey great presence yet, remain unimposing nor uncomfortably colossal. This discretion around the manipulation of scale is quite unique, and exhibits an unmatched sensibility in Suh’s perspective as an artist and creator.
