Skin of Time Sculpture

A lattice of secrets. That’s the Skin of Time Sculpture before you. Here in Seoul, this barren, steel mesh tree holds more than meets the eye. The Skin of Time Sculpture isn’t just a striking form against the Seoul skyline. It’s a vessel of personal memories, a testament to the life and experiences of its creator, Choi Tae Hoon. The sculpture was crafted for the Vancouver Biennale, but its themes resonate deeply with Korean culture. Think of the Shinsu, the sacred tree in Korean mythology, the tree of life, death, and revival. Trees hold immense cultural significance in Korea, representing history, wisdom, and even female essence and male productivity. Even today, Koreans celebrate Tree Planting Day every April, a testament to this enduring connection with nature. Now, back to the Skin of Time Sculpture. Notice the hundreds of welded steel plates forming the tree’s wide, barren branches. Embedded within these plates are the artist’s personal mementoes, tiny punctured holes that become visible only as the sun sets. Then, internal lights illuminate these hidden marks, transforming the sculpture into a constellation of personal stories against the night sky. Each tiny pinprick of light reveals a fragment of the artist’s life, creating a dialogue between the personal and the universal, the past and the present. The Skin of Time Sculpture invites us to contemplate the passage of time, the marks we leave behind, and the stories held within the seemingly ordinary.