The record of life is inscribed and passed on to the next generation in various forms. The posterity imagines the past by analyzing evidence found in records collate with the standards of their time and adds new life to the record. The act of recording may be the inherited nature of human beings which rises from the obligation and desire for continuous life. “Land of Symbols” presents hieroglyphs on life made by five artists in crafts. The letters resemble the parts of a plant while embracing the meanings of life; “Circulation and Connection,” “Foundation and Support,” “Balance and Mediation,” “Solidarity and Blooming,” and “Connotation and Fruition.” The repetitive movements of artist hands reveal unique characteristics of materials (soil, metal, glass, fiber, paper) in the letters. As viewers decode the five hieroglyphs, the letters will obtain the new life and deliver the message of the present.
Donghae Kim
Donghae Kim majored in metal craft. Inspired by his observations and experiences in nature and daily life, Kim creates ornaments and objects for living spaces. He tries to enrich places of daily life by focusing on the interaction between things and surrounding spaces.
01: Growth Needs Foundation
Roots are the foundation that supports plants. The work takes messages of “foundation” and “support” from the roots and creates letters in the form of circles (0) and lines (1). In a work of thin metal wires, each element supports and expands. This shape resembles the growth of plants. The work, which is completed by connecting the joints of thin metal wire, grows through repetition and variation, and expands while creating new meanings in the relationship between materials, objects, people, space, and time.
- Brass
- 900 × 450 × 450 mm
- 2021
-
Donghae Kim, 01: Growth Needs Foundation -
Donghae Kim, 01: Growth Needs Foundation
