Korean sculptor Young-Deok Seo has crafted several new chain link sculptures–two for his Anguish series of a man in despair and one of a peaceful woman for his Nirvana series. Continuing to work with the unconventional medium of choice, Seo maintains his high skill level of recreating the human form and projecting a sense of emotion through it. Like many of the figurative sculptures in the artist's growing collection, these latest additions offer expressive poses that are clear to see, despite their fragmented nature.
Anguish 9 depicts an incomplete man in the nude whose face is buried in his own hands, conveying a very vulnerable state of sorrow and hopelessness. Similarly, Anguish 8 presents a man huddled with his knees to his chest, hiding himself from the world as he wallows in his own sadness. Alternatively, Nirvana 5 sits in a welcoming position, her faceless head arched back and looking to the sky.
Ultimately, Seo's variety of impeccably constructed pieces manage to communicate raw emotions through cold iron chains. While the metallic links are inanimate and often rendered as an expressionless material, the artist configures the textured components to deliver a poignant message of very human sentiments.
