Du Soh Hu: Innovator of Art & Identity Through Sculpture - Essay Sample

Introduction

Du Soh Hu is an artist whose main interest is in architecture, identity, and culture of identity. He was born in the year 1962 in Seoul, North Korea. He studied at Seoul National University and earned a degree and a master's in fine art later in Yale university (Koh). His success and specialization in sculpture made him named the innovator of the year in the year 2013 and is represented Korea in the Venice Biennale. The famous artwork by Suh is made up of nylon and silk. The artwork is skillfully sewn together uniquely.

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The unsung founders Memorial is one work by Du Soh Hu, located at the University of North Carolina. It is a black granite stone supported by bronze figure-like objects. The top of the granite is table-like and has black seats made of seats just beneath it (Koh). There are writings encrypted at the stone. It was a dedication by the most successful class of 2002.

The Purpose of the Art

The use of this artwork was a gift that commemorated the endurance of the class of 2002 in North Carolina (Heninah). The art was supposed to depict hard work, hardships which include racism and the final glory in overcoming it. It was a move voted for by students themselves and were responsible for the raised funds towards the projects. Being the luckiest artist to be assigned the task Du, portrayed expertise in the sculpture, which was named as the most valuable piece by the vice-chancellor of the University. The purpose of the bronze figurines holding onto the table-top granite was a representation of a society working in unity and sheds light to the dark past and the cruel work of the white supremacists that existed before civilization and emphasizes on the need for unity to overcome the past and embrace a future of the corporation (Heninah). The vice-chancellor of the University indicated that the memorial would serve forever as a historical figure in the school as the founders of the institution were slaveholders

The Public Reaction

The reaction of the public to the stone memorial was a diverse one. The staff felt that the sculpture was an honest gift from the students and was a gift created by the inspiration of a people that did not want to leave the past in the dark. The staff reaction was an appreciative one. The parents and the donors who participated in the donation towards the construction showed appreciation and approval for the work. There was, however, a mixed reaction among the students, especially among the race-sensitive ones who felt that the monument was racial and never deserved to be on the school grounds. The racial comments that were found written on the table were bitter and lamented on the "racism "message that the memorial displayed (Heninah). The matter was reported as vandalism, and two suspects were later charged at the orange county court.

The Message of the Artwork

The inscription on the top of the monument reads: The class of 2002 honors the University's unsung founders-the people of color bond and free-who helped build the Carolina we cherish today" The memorial dedicated in the year 2005 was created on the purpose of educating and remembering the workforce that contributed to the building of the North Carolina university (Heninah). Major constructions were done by black people, mostly enslaved by white supremacists (Heninah). They did groundwork such as maintenance of lawns and other college services. The educative purpose of the memorial is a backup of research indicating that the building of the University was significantly the work of the slaves who later participated in other duties such as kindling fires and keeping the offices clean, before the workday. It is an important reminder of the economic role played by the enslaved African Americans during the construction of America.

Innovativeness

Suh is a very innovative artist with a significant focus on space. His work with the bronze blends with the natural black glitter of granite. It resonates with his previous works made with skillful themes that were inspired by his immigration to the US (Richard 114). He displayed the idea of space and human interaction with it.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is innovation in the way Suh crafts the memorial stone. The colors are symbolic and replicate the enslaved blacks. The curving technique of the hands of the figurines holding the black table-like granite is the unsung symbolic founders, in the laboring process. The artwork is innovative as it communicates a historical message and a lesson on the need for equality and respect for humanity. The size of the table-like granite is more significant than the thirty figurines that seem to be in a struggle to hold it. This imagery depicts the real-life burden that the laborers had to undergo to succeed. The monument has a massage that can be easily understood and will have a lasting impact not only in the University of North Carolina but also on the entire world.

Works Cited

Henihan, Aisling, and Melanie Langness. "Memorials Matter: On the Role of Memorials in Manipulating Space to Create Places of Racial Reckoning." JOURney: 25. https://uncjourney.unc.edu/files/2019/06/2018_2019JOURney_vol3_compressed.pdf#page=25

Kho, Esther Eunsil. "Korean border-crossing artists in the New York art world: An examination of the artistic, personal, and social identities of Do-Ho Suh, Kimsooja, and Ik-Joong Kang." (2006). https://diginole.lib.fsu.edu/islandora/object/fsu%3A181492

Richard, Frances. "Home in the world: The art of Do-Ho Suh." ARTFORUM 40.5 (2002): 114-117. http://images.exhibit-e.com/www_lehmannmaupin_com/f056f0f3.pdf