Metaphysical Reflections: Do-Ho Suh at Lehmann Maupin

Image courtesy of www.lehmannmaupin.com
From the Hermes, Tokyo Exhibition of Reflections
(http://www.lehmannmaupin.com/artists/dohosuh/)

The phrase recto-verso is directly taken from Latin. Recto is defined as the “right-hand page in an open book-- and the back of that page, when the page is turned, becomes the left-hand page [verso]." (1) Today, I’m (continuing the style of ) extending the meaning to two-sided artworks like Do-Ho Suh’s Reflection, showing at the Lehmann Maupin Gallery in New York City until February 2nd. In this case, however, the work is over/under instead of front/back and the other side will seem like an apparition.

Upon entering the space, one sees a Korean gate made of translucent, cerulean (the tealish color in the pictures doesn't match what I remember) nylon hanging upside down from a stretched “ceiling” or divider (made of the same material), connected to the walls by small turnbuckles. Through the divider, one finds a parallel gate and remembers (in my case) that the gallery representative said there’s another view from the second floor.

Underneath, one can get personal with the intricate sewing and closely examine the repetitive dragons and roosters (?) woven into the fabric. In Korea, dragons represent “holy power,” protection from “evils,” “good luck,” and “king.” Roosters, if that is indeed the animal pictured, stand for “intelligence,” “patience,” and “trust.” (2) These symbols give one a feeling of tradition, history, and serenity while the gate itself and the title Reflections provoke the easy but fitting associations of passage and contemplation. It’s difficult, though, to sustain focus on the first floor after the initial “wow” because one is holding the information that there is another virgin perspective, an unknown variable above.

The shadow, reflection, and parallelism of Do-Ho Suh’s presentation conjure a feeling of duality and when the viewer occupies the space of one, “the other” is rendered a figment. From above, a work that seemed imposing and fragmentary just a moment ago now becomes lucidly whole and commanded by the viewer. With this collective vision gained, the viewer feels satiated but has sacrificed the previous almost touchable intimacy of the piece (on the second floor the viewer stands a good distance back from the gate due to the architecture. On the first floor, one could get dangerously close).

Image courtesy of www.lehmannmaupin.com
From the Hermes, Tokyo Exhibition of Reflections
(http://www.lehmannmaupin.com/artists/dohosuh/)

I was awestruck by the simultaneous feeling of structure and space and according to Do-Ho Suh, space is where it’s at. He said,

The space I’m interested in is not only a physical one, but an intangible, metaphorical, and psychological one. For me, space is that which encompasses everything. So in that sense, one could say that my art looks at diverse forms and media through the prism called reflection on space.

-Taken from the Lehmann Maupin official release
“Do-Ho Suh: Part Two, Reflections”

The artist’s statement is reminiscent of the quantum physical contradiction that everything is a gradation of seemingly infinite space and the arguable point that extensions of consciousness propagate through every facet. The sprawling, two-tiered form of Reflections embodies presence, non-presence, solidarity, porosity, temporality (in the gate as a contemplative purgatory), memory, history, and culture. It’s not bad.

(1) "Bartleby.com." Originally taken from "Kenneth G. Wilson (1923–). The Columbia Guide to Standard American English. 1993." 1/13/08
http://www.bartleby.com/68/33/5033.html

"Tate Online." 1/13/08
http://www.tate.org.uk/collections/glossary/definition.jsp?entryId=444

(2) "Life in Korea: Cultural Spotlight." Life in Asia Inc. Network. 1997-2008.
http://www.lifeinkorea.com/Culture/spotlight.cfm

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One final comment: Do-Ho Suh’s statement accentuates the work, it doesn’t make or break it. His words act as a fruitful addition instead of a necessary component. I point this out because recently I’ve been considering the impact of the statement upon the mindset of the viewer. If you appreciate the work, can the statement influence that value judgment? Can a statement decrease your appreciation if the artist’s intent doesn’t match up with your understanding of the form? If you don’t appreciate the work but read the statement out of curiosity anyway, can that change your opinion? These questions are explorative and relative to the connection and tension between the work and the artist’s verbal expression about the work. I realize the question “can?” is poor word choice but I use it for the momentary lack of a better one. The answer to “can?” in this situation is probably yes. A statement can change your view of the work, but if it does, how and why?