[조각가 심문섭] Shim Moon-seup blurs boundaries

2008.11.10

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Artist Shim Moon-seup hasn`t held an exhibition in his homeland for so long that it is taking two galleries to bring the Korean public up to date.

Shim, whose works are exhibited worldwide, is holding "The Presentation" at Gallery Hyundai in Sagan-dong and Hakgojae Gallery in Samcheong-dong at the same time - his first here for 12 years. On display are some of the works from his exhibition earlier this year at Palais Royal in Paris and Musee des Arts Asiatiques in Nice.

Gallery Hyundai displays 22 of Shim`s sculptures, photos and drawings, and Hakgojae Gallery 17 of his sculptures.

Shim, 65, a professor at Chung-Ang University, is more famous overseas than in Korea, a main reason why he hasn`t showcased here for a while. He was busy with engagements in some of the world`s most artistic spots -- Paris, Milan, Tokyo, and Osaka.

At every exhibition, Shim`s originality shines.

This time, Shim has once again filled the galleries with creations that fall somewhere between installation and sculpture.

One such piece consists of a wooden board standing on one leg with a dark-wooden chair stuck to one of the ends, displayed at Gallery Hyundai. The artwork could pass for a table, but one cannot be sure it is one, because Shim has planted tall bamboos on it.

 

"The Presentation," bamboo, wood, 2008

"It looks weird, since a table is something that should be in the inside, and bamboo plants are normally found outdoors," Shim said. "But imagine the sun shining on the surface of the wood, and wind whistling through the bamboo leaves. This can be anything viewers imagine it to be."

In his earlier days, Shim focused only on a certain material in itself, pulling out its characters and qualities.

"But one day, I figured out that materials form stories within the relationships with their surroundings," he said. Since then, he has related his materials to their surroundings, letting the works speak for themselves.

"I`m just a messenger between the materials and the viewers," said Shim. "It is my role to present to the viewers something to imagine and talk about based on the stories the materials tell."

There is a constant message that runs through all his work -- that all things are connected and everything rotates in a big cycle.

A giant black wall is pierced with little square boxes to form the letter L in Hakgojae Gallery. Take a look from the pointy corner at first, and then walk behind the wall and take another glance. It seems like one is crossing the line between the inside and the outside, but at some point, viewers realize that there is actually no significant border between them.

Most of his other works also carry a similar message, by signifying various opposites such as the dark and the bright or the open and the closed, and then making the boundaries vague.

Even though his sculptures are eye-catching, do not miss out Shim`s unique photo drawings.

The artist took photos of the spots he wanted to install his work in, and drew the installations on the photos. Then, he re-photographed what he drew, and printed the results.

"Nowadays, the procedure of creating art is also art," Shim said.

"The Presentation" runs through Nov. 25. For more information, call (02) 734-6111 or (02) 739-4937 or go to www.galleryhyundai.com or www.hakgojae.com

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)