Energy

FEEL-YUN tries to hold a universe in his sculpture. YUN’s work is particularly conveying an enormous story on the generation, change and cycle of the universe. What he strives to contain is something called force, energy or ‘gi’. Theforce in the beginning of the universe is divided into yin and yang and various phenomena are engendered in the interplay of the two elements. This is the story YUN wish to utter.

Sculpture is a medium which is extremely physical in that it demands the exhaustingphysical toil of a sculptor and focuses on the physical characteristic of materials and their surfaces. What YUN’s work tries to represent is the moment of shifting the dynamic or static state of Taeguk(the coexistent union of yin and yang) into the energies of realizing the individual and the special. In this sense, YUN’s sculpture remains tremendously ideal.

YUN’s attempt to address both conceptual and philosophical messages through sculpture seems audacious and even reckless. Where does suchboldness come from? His view of the universe could be an answer for this question. The view that the Ten Thousand Things have the same source and man is part of them makes the distinction between spirit and matter meaningless. YUN has sought persistently to reveal the source before our eyes.

The Taeguk as a colossal one encapsulates a circulating power. That may be the force itself or the principle to govern its operation. This force appears in YUN’s work as a circular type. The circular shape as a perfect one has the pulling and simultaneouslypushing forces. The artist forms his round shape by precisely putting together metal strips one by one. As a result, YUN’s sculpture grows too solid and static to remain conceivable.

The axis running horizontally across the round shape evokes a feeling of tautness or tension. This axis is assumed as a virtual pivot, penetrating the circular form. The straight and curved lines, like yin and yang in Taeguk, are the critical elements of YUN’s work.

Another important factor in YUN’s work is the artist’s labor, which is of more significance as concealed under its surface. Seemingly like a factory product, Yoon’s pieces are created through the processes of assembling and polishing with his hands. More manual labors and mental concentrations than imagined by the viewer are required in these processes. With his labor energies accumulated in solid forms, his work in high tension is waiting for the moment of an extremely large explosion.

A group of minimalists had maximized the physicalproperty of their material, a matter of spirituality was raised. Many critics derived a spiritual meaning from the simple forms of their pieces. On the contrary, FEEL-YUN strives to unveil the conceptual basis of Taeguk through a substantial medium. Upon completing his thesis on the principle of Taeguk, YUN will go forward to explore the concrete phenomena of reality. He is highly expected to enhance the solid form of his work in the future.

By Lee Im-soo, Art Critic