Dec. 4th, 2002 As part of the commemorative exhibition for winning the Korean Artist Award:Kim Jae Kwon > Review

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Kim Jae Kwon <Doctor of Sculpture/Art Theorist>

The exhibition by Sim Young-churl serves as a platform for summarizing her <Electronic Garden Era> that has lasted for the past decade, while also announcing the arrival of a new era, the <Monumental Garden Era>. In a sense, it can be considered a transition from the comprehensive environmental work of the past to a monumental environmental work. Just as Sim Young-churl said, if the <Electronic Garden> was a feminine representation emphasizing a delicate aesthetic world, this <Monumental Garden> will become a masculine work consisting of commemorative symbols. Therefore, this "Monumental Garden for the Environment" can also be seen as a shift in artistic representation and gender, as she mentioned.

Then it is necessary to explore why she attempted such a transition toward this monumental environment. The reason for this artistic transition can be attributed to a few factors. Firstly, throughout her work in the "Electronic Garden," she primarily used natural objects or industrially produced cutting-edge media. Through this process, she felt the necessity of employing manual techniques for the restoration of humanity. Secondly, both the hardware and software components of her artwork were composed of transient materials, suitable for the internal environment but lacking durability in external conditions. Thirdly, it can be argued that a strong symbolic and monumental object was necessary to accommodate a broader space as an artistic environment.

Therefore, in this "Monumental Garden for the Environment," several granite stone columns with a diameter of 40cm and a height of 120-180cm are erected in a row on the exhibition floor. These columns serve as symbolic pillars, and they combine with a refined representation of the upgraded garden image compared to the previous "Electronic Garden." This combination is achieved through various media in a restrained form. In this artwork, the garden image can be categorized into three types based on the types of media used: (1) Cutting-edge Media- (Video - Jesus statue, 3D animation - Bible, Fiber optics - cactus, Hologram - lilies, mushrooms, etc.) (2) Conventional Media - (Iron casting - flowers, thorny tree + neon - thorny crown, stone - staircase, model - Noah's Ark, stone carving - dove, transformed objects - mustard seeds, etc.)
(3) Natural Elements - (Ready made - water, fish, aquatic plants, moss, etc.)
These different media and images interact with each other, creating resonance and a sense of regeneration. They amplify the message while fostering a harmonious relationship between the media and the images.

Upon entering the exhibition hall, the prominently displayed row of sturdy granite stone columns immediately catches the eye. These columns, arranged in a row, symbolize the temple of God. Furthermore, on top of the stone columns, there are videos and objects representing the Garden of Eden, accompanied by light, movement, and sound. All these elements together create a sensation that resembles being in a paradise, evoking a feeling as if one is in the heavenly realm. At the highest point, a 3D projection of Jesus Christ is displayed through video projection, delivering the message of life. On top of the columns,

there are iron-cast flowers blooming, while doves, lilies, cacti, grapes, and fig trees are placed throughout the columns. Additionally, small ponds are created within the columns, where real fish can be seen swimming.

In this way, Sim Young-churl's Monumental Garden for the Environment represents a message of dreams and hopes towards humanity and the world. Ultimately, it seeks to drive away pain, despair, and sin from this Earth, just as the original humans did from heaven. It is an artist's way of expressing the desire for eternal peace to be established on Earth. There is a saying that "only dreamers can change the world." In the future, Sim Young-churl intends to create temples of peace, encapsulating messages of peace, through her <Monumental Garden for the Environment>. Whether it be buildings, parks, lakes, mountains, rivers, or seas, she will utilize any location as a space to establish these symbolic temples. In order to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of all people.....