Seo Young-Deok’s Sculptures Are Of the Chain
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No, that’s not a typo: Korean artist Seo Young-Deok’s latest series of nude sculptures is made entirely from lengths of chain of both the medium-gauge household variety and bicycle chains.
The color evokes traditional materials, i.e. bronze, yet the chain imparts a distinct texture even as it constitutes surprisingly detailed human forms, life-size and larger still.
If the use of chains seems too easy a metaphor for human reality, Young-Deok transcends any gimmickry with his masterful command of his craft: he achieves a remarkable level of verisimilitude and aesthetic refinement. The bicycle chain sculptures are particularly impressive, as Young-Deok takes advantage of the articulation of the roller chain by creating sculptures in which the links face outward, like scales (above), as well as ones in which the chain appears to be wrapped around a figure (below). The latter variation strikes me as a riff on 3D-printing, where it is possible to discern distinct ‘layers.’
Video walkthrough of his 2011 solo show “Dystopia” at Seoul’s INSA/Arko Art Center after the jump…
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