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| Sculptor Park Eun-sun, center, receives an honorary citizenship from Alberto Stefano Giovannetti, the mayor of Pietrasanta, a town in Tuscany, Italy, Saturday local time. Courtesy of Park Eun-sun |
By Park Ji-won
Italy-based sculptor Park Eun-sun has received honorary citizenship from Pietrasanta, a town in Tuscany, Italy, for his artistic contributions to the city famous for sculpture.
Pietrasanta Mayor Alberto Stefano Giovannetti awarded the certificate to Park during a ceremony attended by Korean Ambassador to Italy Kwon Hee-Seog at the Church of Saint Augustine, local media outlet La Nazione reported. Park is known as the third foreign artist having received honorary citizenship from the Italian town. The two others are Colombian sculptor Fernando Botero and Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj.
In an acceptance speech, he was quoted as saying by the local newspaper, "I am touched and honored. I want to thank all the people who have helped me and my family. In Pietrasanta I made my dreams come true, it is my home … We are happy. The city has made me grow as a person and artist. It is a great joy to be able to carry the name of this little big city on my shoulders and to be able to represent it."
Park has lived in the city since 1993 after graduating from Kyung Hee University Department of Sculpture and the National Academy of Fine Arts of Carrara, Italy. When asked why he chose to live there in an interview with Seoul Economic Daily in 2018, he said he could easily get materials for sculptures, calling it a sacred place for sculpture. He said he could easily focus on sculpture as many great artists live near him.
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| Sculptor Park Eun-sun / Courtesy of Park Eun-sun |
He is known for making sculptures combining linear, ball-like structures, shapes, spheres, cubes, cracks and columns by using marble and granite. He largely uses two colors in a piece as a show of his dual identities as a foreigner there while building the column to show the desire to be recognized as an artist. The cracks in his pieces add a "breath" to the work. They are largely considered as including some Asian sentiment.
The works have been recognized in multiple international awards and displayed throughout the world, which include the International Award of Sculpture Fratelli Rosselli in 2018. His artworks have also been on display at Pisa International Airport and Florence International Airport.
In 2015, he also received Seongnyu Medal or fifth-grade Order of Civil Merit from the Korean government to mark the 9th Korean Day. The medal is given to those with distinguished contributions to the improvement of the people's welfare and the development of the country in the fields of politics, economy, society, education and academy.
