Kim Jun Su, Sense of Forest, 2020
Artists Note
In late fall of 2017, I visited Saryeoni Forest in Jeju Island.
The nature that I met escaping from the city made my body and soul feel comfortable. This forest is filled with cedar planted by humans in 1930s. The harmony of trees grown densely or sparsely adapting themselves to 90 years was very impressive even though it is a man-made forest.
The skin that protects the inside of animals records and retains numerous experiences as they live. When this is processed with an ingredient called ‘tannin’ acquired from plant, it is called Vegetable tanned Leather. This leather reveals the record of life while having the property of skin. As it is larger with no damage, it is better appreciated. However, from my perspective, the surface of the leather to be seen is not the only important part. I focus not only on the property of matters such as thickness, color and texture but also on meanings that the material symbolizes such as life and death.
This exhibition introduces about 20 pieces with the themes of time, forest and rest. I form my own forest by gathering individuals that have been completed for a long time. I express senses of vision, touch and smell using one unified medium, leather. The leather with the original shape dismantled is reborn from a small dot. Here, long and short lines are repeatedly connected to be completed into one object. This lays on the border line. While materials are based on the animal world, the production method and the finished outcome remind of the plant world. The combination of cross sections is created with the method of piling up tough and soft materials. This new aspect reminds of wood grains that increase the size of tree year by year. It exists on the border line of animals, which record the trace of time while moving around, and plants, which develop infinite vitality by settling in one spot, with balance. Animal and plant maintain close relationship from processing materials to completing works. Works can be completed by minimum tools and intuitional act, but they are harmonized with originality through free variation.
