Korean artist Seon Ghi Bahk recreates man-made structures by repurposing natural resources, charcoal in particular, and suspending them with transparent nylon thread. Bahk’s series of sculptural works are composed across a three-dimensional space, giving the illusion of a floating solid figure. The meticulous alignment of each lump of uniquely-shaped charcoal makes for an interestingly fragile sculpture with a coarse texture.
Like Jae-Hyo Lee’s work, whom we’ve recently shared, Bahk’s hanging sculptures present manufactured objects made of nature’s raw materials. Many of the pieces fall under the headline An Aggregate or Existence, which is appropriate considering the construction and subject matter. The contemporary artist’s collection of charcoal installations are designed to reflect upon and criticize the relationship between man and nature. There is an architectural and furniture-inspired theme present in many of the sculptures that echo man-made constructs.
Bahk acknowledges that the works are open for interpretation but the fundamental idea behind them seems to be an understanding of the irony of using nature to represent something wholly unnatural. The choice to use charcoal, a substance that is basically a charred piece of organic material, is telling of the artist’s work. More than just a set of visually intriguing installations, the works are eye-openers to the misuse of the earth.
Seon Ghi Bahk on artnet
via [arpeggia, akive]