Mapping Spirituality in the Art of Sook Jin Jo

Abstract

Abstract Korean-born artist Sook Jin Jo has produced a multidisciplinary array of sculptural installations for over three decades. Her primary materials consist of discarded wooden furniture, abandoned industrial materials, and trees from the natural environment. The assemblages, installations, and public art projects from these materials offer a renewed perspective on art. Sook Jin Jo broadens her philosophical interpretation of art by transforming crude objects into significant art. Her materials are taken from various resources not only to create original visual forms, but also to convey profound meaning in our everyday lives. In the context of “Being is born of Non-Being,” the artist’s spiritual and philosophical views are deeply connected to Taoism, which is coherent with Zen Buddhism. Meditation Space (2000) invites people to contemplate nature in a manner that resonates as a sacred space. Jo’s recent distinguished works have comprehensively synthesized the pieces she has done so far. In Art House (Art + Architecture) and Art House Chapel II (Art + Architecture), two nondenominational chapels extend beyond institutional religions. Her work profoundly touches the meaning of spirituality and harmony that embraces the history of the sites she utilizes within the art context. Jo’s site-specific works correspond to the healing of human beings and society rather than being aligned with traditional religious beliefs.