Untitled
2026
marble, canvas, tattoo ink, wire
33x28x2.2 cm
I often think about the landscapes I pass while cycling. The traffic signs written in Dutch, a language I cannot read, appear to me as purely sculptural forms. Scattered throughout the city, they look like tattoos inscribed on a body. Traffic signs are devices made for the public, yet to me they become a secret visual language, precisely because I cannot understand Dutch.
In Groningen, I carved the things I had seen onto old marble collected by friends, using a seal engraving tool. The seal is a stamp used in Korea in place of a signature, made by carving the shape of a name into a small stone. I also tattooed the shape of a bicycle onto small pieces of canvas with a hand poke needle and tattoo ink.
GLADHEID!2026 vector image
2번째 사진은 2026년 2월 27일 네덜란드 흐로닝언의 Upsilon 빌딩 도처에서 찍은 사진입니다.
3번째 사진은 Marinus Paul이 네덜란드 흐로닝언의 Minerva Academy 앞에서 찍은 사진입니다.(53°12'55.1"N 6°33'39.3"E)
4번째 사진은 Rio Salazar이 네덜란드 흐로닝언의 Frank Mohr Institute 앞에서 찍은 사진입니다. (53.215283293060274, 6.559959289333778)
Photograph 2 was taken on February 27, 2026, at various locations around the Ypsilon Building in Groningen, Netherlands.
Photograph 3 was taken by Marinus Paul in front of Minerva Academy in Groningen, Netherlands.(53°12'55.1"N 6°33'39.3"E)
Photograph 4 was taken by Rio Salazar in front of Frank Mohr Institute in Groningen, Netherlands.(53.215283293060274, 6.559959289333778)
Especially since last winter, when an unusually heavy amount of snow fell, I found myself slipping several times while riding on frozen roads, which led me to reflect on the unique characteristics of the urban environment.
Because of the flat horizon, water tends to accumulate easily, and since de-icing salt is not frequently used to melt the snow, most roads remain frozen during the cold winter months. When the roads freeze, bus services also come to a halt.
In a city turned to ice, bicycles become the only means of transportation. Yet nowhere are there signs to guide or warn cyclists. So I created warning signs for bikers and installed them in slippery spots throughout the city.
City Fountain
2022
acrylic plate, stainless steel parts
56x220x77 cm
Looking the fountain in a massive shopping mall, in the capital city, Seoul. I felt that the forms of water streams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. The overwhelming grandeur of such monumental structures often leaves me feeling small. I tend to resist sculptures that impose a sense of powerlessness. I wanted to break away from that feeling. Inspired by the simplicity of fountains I had seen before, I created a minimal fountain sculpture to express the essence of water streams.
Sprinkle Babies
2023
plaster
80x40x2 cm (x2)
사진 5-8는 뮤지엄헤드로부터 제공 받고,조준용 작가가 촬영했습니다.
Photographs 5-8 by Junyong Cho, courtesy of Museumhead.
This piece, created after CITY FOUNTAIN, reflects on fountains and imported cultural symbols. Whenever I see Western sculptures thoughtlessly introduced into Korea, I find it both amusing and bitter how these symbols, once brought in as icons of urban sophistication, quickly fall out of fashion and end up abandoned throughout the city.
The Manneken Pis from Brussels, frequently used in Korean interiors. I questioned the purpose of these sculptures when they arrived and the process by which they faded from fashion. These reflections shaped this work, exploring the fleeting nature of trends and cultural appropriation.
These pieces were exhibited in Monumental at Museumhead, Seoul in 2023.
Wiper
2022
acrylic plate, stainless steel frame
17x60x5 cm
사진 5, 6는 에이전시 곱으로부터 제공 받고, 이현석 작가가 촬영했습니다.
Photographs 5 and 6 by Hyunseok Lee, courtesy of Agency GOP.
I began to take notice of the glass information labels on bus windows. Like fingerprints, these labels are scattered throughout the city, often unnoticed unless closely observed. Unlike actual fingerprints, they do not easily fade, yet their subtle presence intrigued me. I became particularly interested in their visual aspects, such as design, typography, and layout. This process felt similar to observing fingerprint patterns.
This was exhibited in City Recipe (the 3rd solo show) at Cheongju Creative Art Studio,
seoul in 2022.
B.U.S (Background U Saw)
2024
acrylic plate, drawing on dyed fabric
15x21x5 cm (x2)
25x50x5 cm
The B.U.S is a set of works descended from Wiper. It was created under the conditions of producing descendant pieces within saleable, limited dimensions set by the exhibition. The black frame represents the black edges of bus windows but is also designed to resemble
a small showcase. Through this showcase, I arranged urban landscapes that caught my attention, much like a diary scrapbook.
These pieces were exhibited in Tillering 3: Take me to the Moon at News Museum,
seoul in 2024.
DUMP, a Donkey and Cats
2024
matika woodblock, stone powder clay, acrylic
70x50x2 cm
사진 3,4는 김형규 작가 제공입니다.
Photographs 3 and 4 by Hyung Kyu Kim.
This piece recreates a donkey statue from an amusement park, inspired by a photograph. The statue, from the European fairy
tale Donkeyskin, would “poop” chocolate coins when operated. Beyond the disappearance of a single sculpture, it highlights the fleeting nature of trends, connecting to abandoned statues and ornaments in urban spaces. In today’s cities, where trends and consumption repeat, I explore the symbolic and aesthetic value
of these forgotten sculptures.
This was exhibited in The Dog, the Wolf, and the Doppelganger Forest at Space Mirage, seoul in 2024.