Connection

An Essay on Aesthetics of Familiarity in Daily Living, and its Expandibility ● Languages on phenomena acquired from internal and external situations, represent formativeness of art works of Artist Sohn, Hyun Wook. By counteracting to one object, the original material is dismantled or reorganized, and the expandible speculation that are floating with clear meaning are settled onto the images captured from the gaps between concepts and notions. Those images that seem, in some ways, very familiar, grow in a real variation that can conceive definite senses and rational demonstration, possessing the united new connections(The union of connection here stems from approaches and visualization on daily objects that surround the artist, and indicates his own completion of form system that continuity and discontinuity of essence and meaning of objects are accumulated in parallel and layer upon layer.) and doubling our perception.

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Practical operation between objects and their counteracting senses that penetrate into the visual sense, is an algorithm on representation that the artist aims, but the images that are reorganized at their own, are based on apparently standing alone, and grow within the 'connection' that shuttles between both poles of subjects and others. It is the time when witness of stratum is to intermediate, which ultimately decides superficial and lateral emotional perception as 'artificial medium', and through it, a path toward sensual and rational perception is secured(That is, the whole of objects, and their essence and internal connections are depending the way how the objects are aggregated, arranged and processed by concepts; visual perception acquired thereby breaks from the original figure is slided from an alternative interpretation into another interpretation, in series of external operation of significance.). It is the primary interpretation on Sohn's art works. ● From the general viewpoint, however, the simplified[not monotonous] images that are created by him designate inseparable visualization. These embrace intangible variation not limited to things that are seen, signifying occupancy of endless mutual exchange between sensual and rational perceptions in the course of the stage of perception itself. Thus, to the artist, the two perceptions not only make his art works stand out, but also reorganize the significance of original forms in essence, in quest for his own different 'connection'.

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Most intriguing is that so long as the connection as 'medium' infused in his work is placed in viable ground, it is not represented as an instant individual. It would be right to say that unconscious basic system that controls over specific objects, or fundamentals that give order to objects in specific forms are established. The opinion of mine means that an object can be placed, irregardless of its essence, in a proposition -correlation and connectivity- totally different from what we have known. Probably this is the artist's another intention and direction. ● This exhibition, 『The Connection』, displays art works in that category. Animal figures shown in existing works(It includes the public Art 「Crab Bench」 (2013) that refines familiar images of crabs(2013), 「Two Camels」(2007) 「Milk Factory」(2008), lenticular process 「Hidden 31 Loves」 and famous series 「Skill of Bowel Motion」. Those works are characteristic of simple and non-superfluous formative language.), also play as his major ones, but have difference in that they take their own cubicity as sculpture, putting back the cross section like shade. [Transition in shape and structure]. The way his sculptures occupy space, or humorous psychologic codes which have been major drivers in his works are remained intact, but instead more abundant blank of metaphor are provided, which signifies that discrimination is retained.

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As previously mentioned, however, more important is that it exists 'not as an independent sculpture, but a medium that connects two different objects'. As Lee, Young Joon from Cultural Hall of Kimhae states, the artist has 'remarkable quality that sums up a story in addition to his simplified shape of the work, and also generates images from them. But he expands his message through more expanded category than past works that have been tied up to greed and illusion on anima, different from past cute appearance. It makes a distance from his past work. what signifies 'a medium that connects the objects' involve a wide variety of colorful lines of yellow, red, blue and green, and trumpet structure that consists of two directions. ● Each one is a tool commonly revealed in new art works in 2015. More specifically saying, it is tangible and intangible lines that expand his scope of works, and 'a penetrating path and passage' as the artist says. In addition, it is a formative tool that implies connection, link and combination. But in relation with this, we should think what the artist is in quest for at the end of the connection. As he intends, it is beyond definition, because it involves a variety such as 'site, space and human'. But it probably means art works that ultimately play as a link between things, including works as a path of communication. That's why he says that 'he aims for his works to be deeply related into the public.' In concluding, it is evident that Sohn's art works mark with a side dot in communication with the public.

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Such being the case, can his communication with the public be successful? The answer is 'yes'. For now. through perceptible figures, laugh-causing emotion, simple colors, definite awareness of theme, the communication with the public are achieved without fail. In particular, the list of public art works and his own possessions that generate aesthetics of familiarity in daily living shows his communication with the public does not place upon uncomfortableness. Consequently, we can say that the value of art that the artist seeks for, could be accomplished to some extent. But something left to be considered, is self-question that another value beyond the present one would be necessary in the methodology that adds formative order to things in a specific way onto the basic system of perception or unconscious base. ● To casually speaking, I want to ask how by-speech can be completed between the schizophrenic symptom of the contemporary art in which all diverse glimpse of consciousness that have no sequence nor logical probability, are ubiquitous at the same time, and the paranoia of the modern art in which only one consciousness fills and other consciousness is vapored up? Here the by-speech is a little different from aesthetic role that delivers pleasure, delight and happiness. It is also different from the approachable form registered in the art history. I am not saying that Sohn's way of creating things is not reasonable, and I just suggest that the meaning of art he makes could be of significance, if his art works could appeal to our lives making the most use of contemporary languages that we use, through deeply thinking and responding each other, and if they expand into the category of certainly in-depth aesthetics.

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From the art works displayed by Son, I would like to ask in return what is reality, and what is phenomena, and in this response, which topology the representation can be established, and furthermore, when I come in contact with his works, if their thoughts and speculation were expanded deeper, his art would be placed on wider and more central point(In fact, this part may be self-defense or probably substituted request upon 'common' comments on his art works, which include, "cute, pretty, simple, pop-artistic, familiar and so forth.). ● As a matter of fact, art shows a new compass on that road, and can be achieved only when we overcome our own suspicion. As for artists, following art is not expanding aesthetic considerations, but is in the course of discovering oneself in earnest and honesty, by repeated processes of discovering and dismantling aesthetic ideals. That is the real appearance of 'difference' - at any phase, either historical or contemporary -. Nevertheless, today's his works evolve, grow and are marching forward without stopping, like neurons. It is evident that his art works imply traits to the fundamental structure in which responding by existing, and bringing about difference by responding. From his works, we can perceive, even difficult, the difference he stated, and this chiefly lies in our recognition that there is external response, admitting that automatic response serves to make it perfect in the end. That is an indirect acceptance of the fact if a response transforms a structure, leading to continuous slides, fixed immanence cannot be established. Thus, today's transition of Sohn in his art works suggests positiveness from the viewpoint of future. This exhibition certainly serves as an internal and external opportunity. ■ Hong, Kyoung Han

Vol.20151025c | 손현욱展 / SONHYUNOOK / 孫炫旭 / sculpture