Osang Gwon’s new work ‘Green Hat Statue’ exhibited at ‘Unboxing Project 3.2: Market’. Provided by VSF “As time passed, the work became smaller… Eventually, after several months, the figure shrunk to the size of a peg and stood isolated and unstable on a pedestal several times larger.”
In the biography of Alberto Giacometti (1901-1966), author James Lord wrote: From around 1947, Giacometti insisted on ‘small pieces’. As I looked at the essence of the object and tried to capture only its essence, the sculpture became smaller. His works, which are only the size of a thin nail, paradoxically elevated the artist to the rank of ‘master’ (巨匠).
Sometimes, the smaller the work, the greater the story it can tell. This is why Korean artists recently gathered at the mid-sized art gallery ‘Various Small Fire’ (VSF) in Los Angeles (LA). In this exhibition held under the name ‘Unboxing Project 3.2: Market’, 28 sculptors including Kim Yun-shin, Gwon Osang, and Shin Mi-kyung presented ‘small sculptures’ of about 30 cm each.
The Unboxing Project is an exhibition plan that selects works that are small enough to fit into a box. It was planned by curator Byun Hyeon-ju and art advisor Chae Min-jin. Participating artists are asked to produce works that fit the theme of each project within a limited framework, and these are then ‘unboxed’ (opened) and displayed.
Yunshin Kim’s ‘Hap-i-Hap-il Bun-i-bun-il 2023-29’ exhibited in ‘Unboxing Project 3.2: Market’. Provided by VSF The common denominator of the works on display is that they are small enough to be placed on a shelf. The ‘maquette’ in the exhibition title refers to a study in which the shape is measured by making a small piece in advance before creating a large sculpture. Curator Byun Hyeon-joo explained, “It started from the experience that the impression given by a small work lingered longer than the ‘admiration’ given by an overwhelmingly large work or spectacle.”
The presence of participating artists is not small. Kim Yun-shin, a first-generation Korean sculptor who has been working in Argentina and Mexico for over 40 years, is one of them. His sculptures, which are cut from South American wood with a chainsaw, are typically 50cm to 1m high. This means that it is a rare opportunity to appreciate miniature works from the ‘Hap-i-Hap-I-Bun-I-Bun-I’ series that the artist has been showing since the 1970s.
In addition, sculptors representing the modern art world reproduced their masterpieces in miniature. Artist Gwon Osang, well known for his ‘photo sculptures’, presented his new work ‘Green Hat’ from his ‘Deodorant Type’ series. Artist Shin Mi-kyung, who symbolizes the passage of time with sculptures made from soap, presented her ‘Soap Buddha Statue’ in the size of a fist.
This exhibition held at VSF is the first overseas exhibition of the unboxing project that started in 2022. The exhibition runs until the 15th of next month. The project will then move to Berlin, Germany in March next year.
Reporter Ahn Si-wook siook95@hankyung.com
