happiness in the forest Print

The artwork of Eun Jin Suh definitely differentiates from rules of modern art (and artists) that are put in words by Giorgio Agamben’s ‘The Man Without Content’. It is not foreign nor new, while not being abstract, either. It even seems that the artwork’s composition itself was omitted. However, Suh’s art seems relatively normal. So, what is the reason that art that doesn’t keep this characteristic be considered art? This is the point where modern artists ask this critical question. In essence, they are asking about art’s categories of judgement, what it includes and what it does not, and its expression. In all, his work gives the impression of traditional embroidery that was represented by traditional Korean paper, or ‘hanji’. In other words, one could say that his artwork is the combination of materiality that is in ‘hanji’ and the composition in which one would say resembles traditional Korean embroidery. Additionally, these two traits accomplish two things: they form the rules for Suh’s artwork, and it raises questions for modern art.