On the 15th, world-renowned Icelandic-Danish artist Olafur Eliasson (b. 1967) unveiled his latest work, 숨결의 지구 (Breathing earth sphere), on Docho Island, Shinan County, Jeollanam-do, South Korea. The installation, part of a larger initiative by Shinan County that celebrates the region's natural beauty, centers around public art projects that draw attention to reimagining the immediate environment.
 
Shinan County is Korea’s largest archipelago – consisting of 1,004 islands. In 2021, the Shinan Tidal Flats – home to more than 2,000 species of flora and fauna – were inscribed as a UNESCO World Natural Heritage site. To pay homage to the region’s natural abundance, Shinan County created the “Shinan Art Island Project,” which will feature a museum or artwork on each island. 숨결의 지구 (Breathing earth sphere) marks the first work of this cultural arts project.

Docho Island’s distinctive topography – a landscape sculpted by ancient volcanic activity – forms the primary inspiration for the artwork. The artwork takes shape as a large spherical subterranean space intricately lined with lava stone tiles that respond to the volcanic history of the region. Coloured in reds, greens, and cyan, the coloured tiles are arranged to produce the illusion of three-dimensional forms tumbling through space.

“There are no corners in Breathing earth sphere, no sense of horizon or limit. In fact, there are no walls, ceiling, or floor,” explains Eliasson. “Standing there, you may feel, simply, a sense of presence, here and now, within the sphere. Transitioning from red at the bottom to green at the top, the tiles relate intuitively to the earth, to the soil, and to the greenery of plant life. The polyhedrons conjured around you may bring associations to the crystals in the soil, the tiny nutrients that give life to us all.”
 
In his work, Eliasson seamlessly integrates natural phenomena with human sensory experiences by using elemental forces such as light, water, and air. “The Shinan Art Island Project” resonates with his ongoing exploration of the natural world and particularly with this latest work, which synthesizes the inherent characteristics of Docho Island with his artistic vision.

References

• 올라퍼 엘리아슨, Olafur Eliason (Artist Website)
• 신안군 보도자료 (Shinan County Press Release)
• PKM 갤러리, Olafur Eliasson 〈숨결의 지구〉 (Breathing earth sphere) (PKM Gallery, Olafur Eliasson, ‘Breathing earth sphere’)

Ji Yeon Lee has been working as an editor for the media art and culture channel AliceOn since 2021 and worked as an exhibition coordinator at samuso (now Space for Contemporary Art) from 2021 to 2023.