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Wired to Live
KeySook Geum Enlightens with Oriental Energy
Story by Debra Kronowitz
The wearable art movement, also known as
Artwear, began in the early 1960s when ageneration of people
adopted the values of individualism and pursued a unique form of
artistic expression. Over the years, Artwear has assimilated
more sculptural views of art.Inspired
by the movement, wire sculptor KeySook Geum has successfully
created dramatic sculptures of elegantly posed wire and cloth
forms that personify the fusion of ageless Asian aesthetics and
philosophy with contemporary flair. “I believe that there are
two extreme poles implying two opposite concepts of dress,” Geum
explained. “One pursues the artistic expression of dress and the
other doesthe practical function of dress.”
As a costume designer educated in textile studies, Geum uses
beads, silk remnants and wire mesh in delicately lacy,
diaphanous forms that suggest an invisible human presence
levitating over the ground. You almost expect to see a face
peeking out
from under the wispy “fabric.” The works are delicate and full
of movement and energy; they are inspired by the human body and
the clothing traditions of South Korea, Geum’s homeland.
“While I also work with fabrics, most of my work uses various
kinds of wires and beads,” Geum explained. “I am interested in
iron wires wrapped with paper as my main materials of work. In
1996, I tied silk gauze ribbons to my work to express concepts
of floral images of lotus. The silk gauze is popular in
traditional Korean dresses revealing delicate Korean elegance
and formal images of the wearer.”
The play of light and shadow on many of the hand-made pieces
heightens the viewer’s appreciation as much as it intensifies
the suggestion of an invisible human presence. “I’m always
concerned about the lighting,” she added. “Light and shadow make
my work more enjoyable; shadow is an important part.”
Geum’s sculptures are said to explore deeper philosophical
concerns. She prefers to work in themes that relate to the
environment, humanity, life, living and the internet. “What kind
of life is a good life for all of us? What is the most valuable
in our life? There is not one perfect answer, but many according
to our situations. By realizing some facts or finding a way to
solve our problems, through enlightenment, we can learn wisdom,
and we may become wiser. Every day or every moment we need to be
enlightened, and we can escape from the chaos of blurred
thinking.
“What I enlighten is expressed through my works in the
silhouette, color and material of my work. Under the titles of
enlightenment is energy. In my work, the enlightenment is
translated through web-style work. From the web-knit background
(chaos), the human figure (enlightenment) clearly appears and is
identified. It is relief and transparent because this work is
twisted and beaded using thin iron wires. The moving means life
or living thing. And the moving derives from the energy called
Qi in Oriental society. The living
thing implies human beings —living people. It is interpreted
through trembling and swing elements in my work. Only living
things can make those elements move. When they breathe, the
elements are moving, showing trembling effects,” she explained. |
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| Photos
courtesy of KeySook Geum |
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Tied to
Tradition
Geum lives and works in Seoul, Korea, a dynamic
city steeped in tradition and on the cutting-edge of contemporary art and
technology. While
embracing the new, Geum remains firmly rooted to tradition,
incorporating Korean materials and subtle allusions to ceremony and
ritual into her meticulously pieced sculptures. Her favorite materials
are, of course, wire and beads. At times, she uses silk, cotton and other
materials that evoke Oriental images, such as coral, amber and pearl. To
create the dew effect, Geum uses crystal beads and Swarovski beads.
Geum
begins her work from a thread of thin wire. “I twist it like basket
to make the form,” she explained. The most difficult part of her work
is imagining and forming the shapes. Geum says she has never kept track of
how long it takes to complete a piece. She often works on several pieces
simultaneously.
Her work is described as elegant, giving subtle illusions
to ceremony and ritual. “The trembling elements I attach to my work for
expression of moving energy or living life come from a traditional ritual
crown. In Korea, most brides are supposed to wear two types of wedding
dresses; one is a white contemporary dress, and the other is traditional
Korean, consisting of a dress and crown. The crown is small with many
decorations, including decorative trembling elements. The shapes of the
trembling elements are tiny butterflies, flowers, pearls and beads of
semi-precious stones. Those are connected to the crown using wire
springs. Therefore, those move when the wearer moves. If the crown is
placed on a table, the trembling elements will not move. They move only
when the crown is worn by the bride. Even if she quietly sits, the
trembling elements move because she is breathing and moving. In this
sense, I realize the moving elements stand for living and life — they
symbolize the energy of humans and
Qi, and we
can’t live without this energy,” she said.
In the 1990s, Geum used
recycling materials. She obtained silk gauze from traditional Korean
dressmaking shops. “The remnant fabrics were thought of as trash,” Geum
explained. Today, she uses Lotus to express the recycling concept. “The
flower has an image of purifying the environment, ”she said. “It is
planted in mud in the pond and grows through the water, making a lofty
figure of blossom in the air, ignoring many difficulties when it grew
from the mud to the air to the sky.”
Geum’s work has appeared around the
world. From Oct. 5-28, she will exhibit,
Moving or Dancing,
at Gallery Bienvenu. For those attending the exhibit, Guam offers: “Don't
analyze it, just feel it. This is artwork.”
Gallery Bienvenu,
518 Julia St., 504.525.0518,
www.gallerybienvenu.com |
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