Sung Dong-hun speaks through metal

Artist Sung Dong-hun stands next to his sculpture "Rhinoceros of the Fake Kingdom." / Courtesy of the artist and Korean Artist Project

This is the 13th in a series of interviews with notable artists recommended by the Korean Artist Project, an online platform promoting Korean art. ― ED.

By Kwon Mee-yoo

A distorted human-like sculpture made from airplane parts and ceramic beads rides a metal rhinoceros, while a rough-textured metal sculpture in the shape of a shark hangs upside down. The works of sculptor Sung Dong-hun's throw sharp questions that transpiercing the contradictions of contemporary society.

The sculptor excused himself for wearing sunglasses during an interview with The Korea Times at Savina Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul earlier this month, citing corneal flash burns.

"I was working on a 'Singing Tree' sculpture at a metal factory before coming here. When you see too much light from a welding torch, it hurts your eyes," Sung said. However, Sung appeared to accept the injury as part of the fate of an artist.

He has spent over 25 years smelting metal in blast furnaces to form shapes of various creatures which carry a sense of weight in physical and semantic terms.

"The Black Wailing" / Courtesy of the artist and Korean Artist Project

Dream of Don Quixote

"Ignorance of the work is the way to live," Sung said. "I want to be open and honest for my work. Everyone has a different background and personality, but most of their works are same, following trends. I don't understand that. Every artist should represent themselves in their work."

In his early days as an artist, Sung was like Don Quixote, the eccentric knight from Miguel de Cervantes' novel. His sculptures depicted the valiant yet befuddled knight and the chiseler also shared the spirit of Don Quixote.

"My first Don Quixote sculpture debuted in 1990 and I worked with this theme for about a decade. I thought like Don Quixote back then," Sung said. "Don Quixote represents a universal theme across the globe ― someone who is unconventional, off-the-wall and odd. When I was studying sculpture, the trend was minimal but I didn't follow the current."

"Circumstances — Don Quixote Riding a Chicken"

Sung had to make something that resonated in his heart and he took inspiration from the Spanish oddball knight.

"My first sculpture had a collapsed horse made from cement and a Don Quixote riding on it with high spirits. The cement represents material civilization and the person could be the heart behind it," the sculptor said. "It was the only breakthrough for me, reflecting my life and times."

As his Don Quixote sculpture gained popularity, Sung received many orders for the series and explored the theme over and over again.

"At first, I was happy about taking orders for my work since I was a needy young artist. However, I did not feel joy of repeating what I did and it made me anxious and depressed," he said. "Maybe I had a mysophobia of maintaining the purity and pride as an artist."

"The Ringing of the Forest"

So he just closed up his atelier and left for Amsterdam, Netherlands, where a friend of him provided a studio. "The time was a turning point for me. I started to spend much time overseas, working for international projects in Italy, Germany and India. I made ties with foreign artists, who became an important part of my network."

He made a transition from Don Quixote to the next phase in his work, following what his heart said.

Fake of Kingdom

At a recent solo exhibit titled "Fake of the Kingdom," Sung explored the lack of originality in material civilization.

"For me, the world of material civilization seems ambiguous and disguised. In search of the real kingdom, I made a fake of the kingdom instead," Sung explained.

In his the latest work, Sung experimented with a new type of material ― blast furnace sludge, which he acquired during his residency in Taiwan, sponsored by the Donho Steel Art Foundation, and blue and white ceramics.

"The White Kingdom"

"I had worked with smooth, shiny metal for decades and the roughness of metal sludge fascinated me. The unique surface and texture cannot be artificially carved," Sung said.

The contrasting materials clash in the sculptures, revealing the heterogeneous integration of tradition and contemporariness and truth and fake.

For Sung, making a sculpture is about achieving something from scratch to finish. "An artist needs initiative and drive to accomplish one's vision. A sculpture is a combination of various materials and techniques. It is about designing the artwork, finding the right materials and combining these using proper techniques," the artist said.

Though he is well-known as a master of metalwork, but Sung in fact employs a wide range of materials in his works. In the recent works, he mainly used

"Metal is the base for most of my works, I also use ceramics, stone, wood, plastic and other objects such as aircraft parts. All these are essential for human life," Sung said. "Metal can make a good frame for connecting various materials, but what goes on the metal base is more important."

"Meditation — An Inner Echo"

Many of Sung's sculptures feature animal shapes. "Animals are great objects to lampoon the affairs of men. Deer symbolizes power and greed, while tortoise stands for dream," he said.

Inspiration comes from his experience and memory, Sung said. "I don't make sculptures based on a photo. It rather comes from the sense of my hand," he said. "For instance, when I make a cow, it comes from the image of cow I accumulated throughout life ― it could be a cow grazing at a small hill, a buffalo running around field or dairy cattle seen from television. I understand the cow's image but I don't know what will come out of my hand. That is the interesting part."

After the solo exhibition in Seoul, Sung has a tight schedule crisscrossing the world. In August, he will be in Australia to collaborate with indigenous Australians and another exhibition is planned in Taiwan in December. Next year, he plans to work in India. He has not decided the details of the works, but one thing is clear ― Sung will not repeat what he already did.

"Some of the themes such as the deer or the singing tree recur, but it is not the same thing. I used blast furnace sludge for this exhibit and I might come up with Indian gilt for the next one. I keep the spirit but evolve always," the artist said.

"I don't want to be a star artist. I rather want to be remembered as an artist who keeps his style who does not blindly follow the trend. This is what I think right now and I want to share the idea with the viewers," Sung said.

For more information, visit www.koreanartistproject.com.