Do Ho Suh reconstructs home, memory, family at MMCA exhibition

Do Ho Suh, a contemporary artist, explores themes of memory, migration, identity, and community through his diverse range of artistic media in a new exhibition at the MMCA in Seoul. The exhibition, titled "Do Ho Suh," features over 500 pieces, including his iconic house installations, spanning his 30-year artistic journey.

Born in 1962, Suh is known for his exploration of the relationship between a home and the memories it carries. The exhibition begins with "Seed Bank," a space dedicated to his early works, such as wooden carvings of sea creatures made in his childhood hanok. The collection also includes high school records and early fabric installations inspired by his New York residence, which later became pivotal in his artistic development.

The exhibition's progression includes "Small Gate," a 2017 work that reconstructs a hanok gate from a Seoul neighborhood where Suh once lived. The audience then moves on to the impressive "Rubbing/Loving" series, featuring an expansive hanok installation. "Perfect Home: London, Horsham, New York, Berlin, Providence, Seoul" allows viewers to walk through a half-sheer structure adorned with everyday objects from homes Suh has lived in.

Suh's works also delve into the connection between individuals and a community, such as "Who Am We?," which fills the gallery walls with tiny, identifiable portraits from his high school yearbooks. The artist's most recent works focus on the role of clothing in his journey of fatherhood, as seen in "Memory of Love," which attaches cut fabric from his family's clothing to his coat.

After an absence of more than a decade, Suh is delighted to hold an exhibition in South Korea, as he felt content showcasing early works that served as the seeds for his 30-year career. The exhibition runs through February 9 and will travel to the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo in Japan and M+ in Hong Kong next year.