‘Death is already woven into our everyday lives’: Sook Jin Jo
As her first major show in her homeland opens, the Korean American artist discusses the big issues: life, death—and the inspiration of cats
Sook Jin Jo, a Korea-born American artist, explores themes of ephemerality, the passage of time, and the inevitability of loss through her use of found materials, primarily wood. Her monumental sculptures are both intimate and monumental, reflecting her personal journey with the concept of death. Jo's exhibition, Sook Jin Jo: That's How the Light Gets In, at the Nam-Seoul Museum of Art in South Korea showcases over 100 works and four new commissions, including the first Korean version of her Art House Chapels and an examination of Korea's endangered Gureopdo Island.
Jo's work emphasizes the presence of death within everyday life, not as an ending, but as part of the continuity of life. Her connection to Korea, through her parents' burial at the National Cemetery nearby, adds personal significance to the exhibition. Additionally, Jo's use of trees and wood as symbols of mourning and healing stems from their ability to hold memories of what they have passed through and their representation of centuries of human history.
Her experiences with cats have also influenced her approach to time, encouraging her to see the world beyond a human-centric perspective.
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