Location: United States
Seunghwui Koo creates her works by drawing inspiration from the daily happenings and intricate moments of her life in New York City. Her work is a commentary on the lives of New Yorkers as she has witnessed. She was born in South Korea, where she first had the idea of combining the pig’s head and human body. The significance of the pig’s head lies in the different symbolic meanings from the Eastern and Western cultures. Good fortune (Eastern) and greed (Western), two very different connotations of the pig, are themes that are a part of her works. She uses resin, acrylic, plaster, clay, and mixed media to create her works.
Koo has shown her sculptural works in a number of exhibitions including Monmouth Museum, NJ, Belskie Museum of Art & Science, NJ, Newark Museum, NJ, Azarian McCullough Art Gallery, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, NY and Main Line Art Center, PA, among others. She is one of the artists in the Chashama organization in NYC.
"Pigple"
When I was young, my parents owned a butcher shop. During that time, I saw a lot of butchered pigs. In Korea, when one opens a new business, buys a new car, or starts a big new endeavor, it is tradition to have a celebration with a pig's head in the center of the room while money is put into its mouth. The person then bows and prays for a good and comfortable life. There is also a belief that when one dreams of a pig, it is a precursor to material wealth. In Korean culture, people will buy lottery tickets and charms of pigs to compliment these beliefs and traditions.
As an adult now living in the United States, I have experienced and observed many new cultural things. I have discovered there is a completely different connotation associated with the pig. The pig can also symbolize greed. This new world is a place where money rules, the distinction between good and evil is blurred, love and happiness are small things, philosophy has no place, and only material beauty matters. I have observed people curse the rich for having monetary wealth but at the same time be envious. In today’s competitive society everyone appears to be running to win a race but not realizing you cannot win away your loneliness when the people you have ignored or mistreated in your pursuit are not there for you at the finish line.
My pig figures are symbolic of the different kinds of people I encounter in my own everyday race of a life. The bright colors and satiric images used on my terracotta clay and mixed media “Piggies” have been purposely used to create a whimsical urban vibe to my work but upon further inspection represent a deeper and sometimes critical commentary on today’s society with the end goal of connecting with the viewer to inspire thought, forgiveness, solace and hope.
Size: 14.5 H x 14 W x 14 in
Resin covered with crystal
“New York City has a relatively large population compared to the land size, while harboring many different cultures and races. I have lived in New York for over 10 years, and I have met a lot of people that have demonstrated narcissism.
Money, strength, and power becomes the judge of one’s happiness and success. This is why New York is one of the toughest and loneliest cities to be in. The best way to survive in New York is to be in love with yourself and immerse in yourself. When you look at people in New York, they appear happy, but a lot of people that I have encountered are actually very lonely and unhappy. Time spent in here goes quickly. There is no time to think about others. At times, this is why it is hard to connect with someone else. Naturally, one has to rely on him or herself again to survive. The expressions on the pig head sculptures mimic the fake happiness of the smiles that I see. The pigs have their eyes closed while laughing, which is intended to reflect the disconnect between actual happiness and the laughs that you see.
The New Yorker engaged in narcissism is a theme to which I feel a special kinship. The reason I identity with the narcissistic New Yorker is simple; I, too, am a narcissistic New Yorker.”
www.kooseunghwui.com
Size: 25 H x 15 W x 15 in
Acrylic on resin, wood base
www.kooseunghwui.com
Resin covered with crystal
Pigs head size 14"x 14"x 15"
Ready to hang on a wall.
www.kooseunghwui.com
Size: 24 H x 24 W x 3.5 in
"Blue People" is comprised of 3,000 handmade pigs. The work has many different topographical features and is visually striking.
Each pig figurine measures 0.5" x 1" x 0.5".
All of the pigs are made out of Terra-Cotta, while some of them are painted with acrylic.
Each pig is handmade, a mold was not used because it is a meditative practice of hand-building in which I create imagery and objects in mass that speak to both our uniqueness and anonymity. The frame is ready to hang on a wall. Wall Sculpture.
My works may come across as having a deep and critical tone with regards to the subject matter. However, rather than being seen as a condemnation, I hope that forgiveness and inspired thought can be realized by the viewer. My hope is to provide solace to those that need it from their tiring and difficult lives through my works. I hope my works brighten and instill joy to my audience.
www.kooseunghwui.com
Size: 48 H x 48 W x 4 in
"People" is comprised of 12,000 handmade pigs. The work has many different topographical features and is visually striking.
Each pig figurine measures 0.5" x 1" x 0.5".
All of the pigs are made out of Terra-Cotta, while some of them are painted with acrylic.
Each pig is handmade, a mold was not used because it is a meditative practice of hand-building in which I create imagery and objects in mass that speak to both our uniqueness and anonymity. The frame is ready to hang on a wall. Wall Sculpture.
My works may come across as having a deep and critical tone with regards to the subject matter. However, rather than being seen as a condemnation, I hope that forgiveness and inspired thought can be realized by the viewer. My hope is to provide solace to those that need it from their tiring and difficult lives through my works. I hope my works brighten and instill joy to my audience.
Koo has shown her sculptural works in a number of exhibitions including Monmouth Museum, NJ, Belskie Museum of Art & Science, NJ, Newark Museum, NJ, Azarian McCullough Art Gallery, St. Thomas Aquinas College, Sparkill, NY and Main Line Art Center, PA, among others. She is one of the artists in the Chashama organization in NYC.
www.kooseunghwui.com
Size: 26.5 H x 22.5 W x 7 in
Acrylic on terra-cotta pigs, Wood panel
The little pig figurines are symbolic of all people.
The bright colors and tiny patterns on them represent the many
different kinds of people in NYC. For example, the pigs with a heart
marking represent people in love. The pigs with a bandage represent a
wounded or hurt person. Pigs with stars represent the starry-eyed
people with big dreams. The bright colors have been purposely used to
create a light New York City vibe.
Each pig figurine measures 0.5" x 1" x 0.5".
All of the pigs are made out of Terra-Cotta, while some of them are painted with acrylic.
Each pig is handmade, a mold was not used. The frame ready to hang on a wall.
Wall Sculpture.
“Narcissism Blue”
“Loving U”
“Born with a Silver Spoon”
“For the Love of God”
“Blue People”
“People”
“White Frame”
