On Saturday 7th June, Mr Reed, Ms. Cottone and Art Scholars from Year 6 to L6 visited the Tate Modern Gallery to explore ‘The Genesis Exhibition: Do Ho Suh: Walk the House’. This was an opportunity for the scholars to see the work of renowned Korean-born, London-based contemporary artist Do Ho Suh.
Suh’s dedication to solidifying the past, in making memories tangible is evident throughout the exhibition. The Scholars were mesmerised by ‘Rubbing/Loving: Seoul Home’, a replica of Suh’s childhood house in Korea. This fragile, intricate piece was created from paper wrapped around the actual building, an imperial hanok structure, which the artist rubbed over and over with graphite and then carefully removed to reveal the textures and surfaces beneath.
Suh’s concern with childhood, memory and nostalgia continues through the network of beautiful, detailed fabric sculptures of often overlooked elements of domestic spaces – doorknobs, light sockets, handrails, wires and power sockets, which were once part of Suh’s homes in Korea, New York and London. Re-created using bright, semi-transparent mesh these are more than just fixtures, they are tributes to the past, a place Suh can’t quite let go of. Indeed the title of the show ‘Walk the House’ comes from the Korean practice of physically taking your house with you when you move to a new site, something that traditional Korean woodwork techniques allowed people to do in the past.
The scholars enjoyed learning about the artist’s repetitive, meditative processes. The show’s inclusion of experimental drawings, films and animations alongside the four key works allowed them to fully appreciate Suh’s authentic personal narrative. Ultimately this is a collective narrative, though, one we are all part of; Suh’s wires and his corridors are totems of time passing, extending right to the core of us all.
After viewing the exhibition, and drawing from Suh’s works, the Scholars took part in a workshop run by the L6. Inspired by Suh, the scholars used rubbings made around the Turbine Hall and the structures of the Tanks to create large-scale collaborative mixed media drawings. The Scholars’ work was bold and imaginative and reflected our students’ creativity and excellent teamwork.
-Ms Cottone, Deputy Head of Art
