Do-ho suh
Do-Ho Suh was born in Seoul, South-Korea in 1962. After he earned his Bachelor and his Master of Fine Arts in Oriental Painting from Seoul National University, Suh moved to the United States to continue studying, at the Rhode Island School of Design, and Yale University. Suh’s work is greatly influenced by his father, who is a master of traditional calligraphy and literature, and a professional painter.
Public Figures (2001)
How does the artwork represent different aspects of the artists identity?
This artwork shows some different aspects of Do-Ho Suh’s identity. It shows Do-Ho Suh is a selfless person. He wants to show the importance of the people holding the pedestal, and not just one important person on top of it. He wants to change people’s minds, I think he succeeded. The pedestal is empty, which can be related to the North-Korean dictatorship and shows he prefers many people ruling a country instead of one dictator.
Do-Ho Suh’s words:
“I just want to recognize them. Let’s say if there’s one statue at the plaza of a hero who helped or protected our country, there are hundreds of thousands of individuals who helped him, and there’s no recognition for them. So in my sculpture, Public Figures, I had around six hundred small figures, twelve inches high, six different shapes, both male and female, of different ethnicities. “
How do those elements change the way you read the image or object?
This artwork represents Do-Ho Suh’s view of the importance of people, which you can relate to his selfless personality. When I saw it for the first time, it immediately had an impact on me. This sculpture is a metaphor for the many unrecognised persons who help the society’s heroes to become what they are now. No one is famous without other people helping them, but it’s always about the ones who discovered something, and not about the ones who made them searching. I think this is a really nice artwork because it’s not all about what it looks like, it’s about the meaning and it changes people’s minds.
How does the artwork represent different aspects of the artists identity?
This artwork shows some different aspects of Do-Ho Suh’s identity. It shows Do-Ho Suh is a selfless person. He wants to show the importance of the people holding the pedestal, and not just one important person on top of it. He wants to change people’s minds, I think he succeeded. The pedestal is empty, which can be related to the North-Korean dictatorship and shows he prefers many people ruling a country instead of one dictator.
Do-Ho Suh’s words:
“I just want to recognize them. Let’s say if there’s one statue at the plaza of a hero who helped or protected our country, there are hundreds of thousands of individuals who helped him, and there’s no recognition for them. So in my sculpture, Public Figures, I had around six hundred small figures, twelve inches high, six different shapes, both male and female, of different ethnicities. “
How do those elements change the way you read the image or object?
This artwork represents Do-Ho Suh’s view of the importance of people, which you can relate to his selfless personality. When I saw it for the first time, it immediately had an impact on me. This sculpture is a metaphor for the many unrecognised persons who help the society’s heroes to become what they are now. No one is famous without other people helping them, but it’s always about the ones who discovered something, and not about the ones who made them searching. I think this is a really nice artwork because it’s not all about what it looks like, it’s about the meaning and it changes people’s minds.
Some/One (2003)
How does the artwork represent different aspects of the artists identity?
With this artwork Do-Ho Suh shows that many military people die in battles and wars. He has been in the South-Korean army due to conscription and this sculpture represents a lot of his own identity. He knows what it’s like to be fighting and being afraid of never seeing his family members. Many people sacrifice their lives for the building of an empire or stopping it. He wants to show a war isn’t just a war. It takes the lives of many innocent people and breaks the hearts of their family members. Do-Ho Suh’s metaphorical aspects in his artworks show that he is a person, who really thinks about what is going on in our world, and this is his way to show it to other people.
How do those elements change the way you read the image or object?
You can see this object as a knight’s armour, but if you look closer you see it’s made of thousands of dog tags, which are worn by people serving the army. It shows that many people die fighting in wars, to protect their leaders with ‘human body armour’. In Dutch we would call this a ‘levend schild’ and that’s exactly how I read this image. You can relate this to the fact that Do-Ho Suh has been fighting in the South-Korean military, and he has seen these heart-breaking deaths of innocent people. Fighting in war has become a part of his soul, and this is how he shows this to other people. If I hadn’t known that Do-Ho Suh has been in the South-Korean army, and if I didn’t know the meaning of those dog tags, I would read the object as a large detailed dress, which is far from the real meaning of the sculpture. I think this is a beautiful artwork, and even more special because of the metaphorical meaning of the dog tags.
How does the artwork represent different aspects of the artists identity?
With this artwork Do-Ho Suh shows that many military people die in battles and wars. He has been in the South-Korean army due to conscription and this sculpture represents a lot of his own identity. He knows what it’s like to be fighting and being afraid of never seeing his family members. Many people sacrifice their lives for the building of an empire or stopping it. He wants to show a war isn’t just a war. It takes the lives of many innocent people and breaks the hearts of their family members. Do-Ho Suh’s metaphorical aspects in his artworks show that he is a person, who really thinks about what is going on in our world, and this is his way to show it to other people.
How do those elements change the way you read the image or object?
You can see this object as a knight’s armour, but if you look closer you see it’s made of thousands of dog tags, which are worn by people serving the army. It shows that many people die fighting in wars, to protect their leaders with ‘human body armour’. In Dutch we would call this a ‘levend schild’ and that’s exactly how I read this image. You can relate this to the fact that Do-Ho Suh has been fighting in the South-Korean military, and he has seen these heart-breaking deaths of innocent people. Fighting in war has become a part of his soul, and this is how he shows this to other people. If I hadn’t known that Do-Ho Suh has been in the South-Korean army, and if I didn’t know the meaning of those dog tags, I would read the object as a large detailed dress, which is far from the real meaning of the sculpture. I think this is a beautiful artwork, and even more special because of the metaphorical meaning of the dog tags.
Floor (1997-2000)
How does the artwork represent different aspects of the artists identity?
As well as in Public Figures this artwork represents how Do-Ho Suh thinks about the importance of the innocent, selfless people. There are always persons who push down others to become more important themselves, this artwork represents that. Many people are suffering for you, and you stand right on top of them. Do-Ho Suh has been in that suffering position himself. This sculpture can also be related to the North-Korean dictatorship or any other dictatorship in the world, because a dictator makes many people suffer, to gain as much power as possible.
How do those elements change the way you read the image or object?
After looking up more background information and answering the question above, the sculpture is more impressive and makes me feel sad for those people suffering from dictators or other selfish persons who supress others. So if you read the image of this artwork after you have taken a better look at it, and know more about Do-Ho Suh and what he meant to show with this artwork, it gives you an emotional touch, which is a beautiful aspect of this sculpture.
Sources:
https://www.google.nl/search?q=do+ho+suh+some/one&biw=1600&bih=752&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=TdUWVNqNG8OqPLf3gJAE&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ
https://www.google.nl/search?q=do+ho+suh&biw=1600&bih=752&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jtUWVOXmJ9Dcaq-QgqgF&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=do+ho+suh+public+figures&imgdii=_
http://www.michaeloart.com/metaphorically-speaking/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do-ho_Suh
http://www.pondly.com/2012/04/watch-your-step-modern-sculptures-by-do-ho-suh/
How does the artwork represent different aspects of the artists identity?
As well as in Public Figures this artwork represents how Do-Ho Suh thinks about the importance of the innocent, selfless people. There are always persons who push down others to become more important themselves, this artwork represents that. Many people are suffering for you, and you stand right on top of them. Do-Ho Suh has been in that suffering position himself. This sculpture can also be related to the North-Korean dictatorship or any other dictatorship in the world, because a dictator makes many people suffer, to gain as much power as possible.
How do those elements change the way you read the image or object?
After looking up more background information and answering the question above, the sculpture is more impressive and makes me feel sad for those people suffering from dictators or other selfish persons who supress others. So if you read the image of this artwork after you have taken a better look at it, and know more about Do-Ho Suh and what he meant to show with this artwork, it gives you an emotional touch, which is a beautiful aspect of this sculpture.
Sources:
https://www.google.nl/search?q=do+ho+suh+some/one&biw=1600&bih=752&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=TdUWVNqNG8OqPLf3gJAE&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ
https://www.google.nl/search?q=do+ho+suh&biw=1600&bih=752&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=jtUWVOXmJ9Dcaq-QgqgF&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ#tbm=isch&q=do+ho+suh+public+figures&imgdii=_
http://www.michaeloart.com/metaphorically-speaking/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Do-ho_Suh
http://www.pondly.com/2012/04/watch-your-step-modern-sculptures-by-do-ho-suh/