do ho suh’s exhibition shows his vibrant sculptures at moody center

Do Ho SuH: In process exhibition at the moody center for the arts

Do Ho Suh brings his colorful maquettes and sculptures to the Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University for an open, studio-like exhibition, In Process. On view between September 6th and December 21st, 2024, the gallery becomes a creative studio as the Korean artist sets it up like his workshop, from the unclosed shelves exhibiting his architectural mquettes to his selection of previous works. As visitors roam around In Process, they feel like they have a free pass to Do Ho Suh’s inner workings, be it within his temporary studio or his creative thinking.

It’s a reunion at the Moody Center for the Arts when Do Ho Suh reinstalls a few of his finished works, starting with the Inverted Monument (2022). Made of extruded thermoplastic polyester, numerous filaments overlap in different directions until they form a sculpture similar to a boxy castle turret. If the viewers look closely, they can see a human figure made of thermoplastic turned upside down hanging inside, their head touching the floor. It’s Do Ho Suh’s way of asking the historic notions of authority and the agency an artist has in the dialogues around civic sculptures. This and many more, including a mountain of malleable and coloful clay, are present in In Process’ studio slash exhibition.

Acrylic resin with traditional korean gate inside

The exhibition In Process is a chance for the visitors to know what materials Do Ho Suh works with and how he works with them. A selection of rubbings, sculptures, maquettes, and finished artworks prove this, including his process materials for the large-scale Portal (2015), which is concurrently on view at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston as a part of its permanent collection. Titled ‘Gate,’ the work demonstrates one step in the ten-year collaboration between the Korean artist and a US-based fabricator.

The rubbings of the Gate are hung on one side of the room, boxed separate parts yet joined like puzzle pieces. Its pale-yellow hue complements the burst of colors found in Artland (2016), an ecosystem and a pile of malleable clay. Here, the visitors of all ages can interact with as they take a piece of it, mold it to their desire, and put it back to add to the finished product. The end results in seemingly islands frequented by vibrant creatures and plants, multiplying through the visitors’ contributions.

exhibition view of Do Ho Suh: In Process | all exhibition photos by Anthony Rathbun

Exhibition that’s a milestone for Do Ho Suh

There’s an on-going project that Do Ho Suh brings to his exhibition, one that ties him with his homes in Seoul, London, and New York City. It’s called The Bridge Project. Since 2010, he has worked with architects, designers, and engineers, including a team of students at Rice University, to conceptualize a bridge connecting the three major cities mentioned. In the exhibition, the resulting models are on display, together with the drawings and videos made by the Korean artist himself in the Moody Center’s Central Gallery.

For the artist, In Process marks a milestone in his career. He says that he’s a process-driven creative, and the show is something ‘I’ve wanted to do for a very long time. Much of the work I exhibit I consider to be part of larger processes – whether mental or physical – and for me, it is about that process as much as it is about the outcome. It takes an institution like the Moody to present an exhibition as unusual as this one – it’s a gift as an artist,’ he adds. Do Ho Suh: In Process is curated by Executive Director Alison Weaver and is on view at the Moody Center for the Arts at Rice University between September 6th and December 21st, 2024.

exhibition view of Do Ho Suh: In Process