Sok Song- Artist Statement

My artistic practice is rooted in my Korean heritage and the multifaceted ways I’ve explored craftsmanship with my hands. My interdisciplinary, cross-cultural approach is enriched by my background as a gay Korean American raised by immigrant parents in a religious household near military bases in southern Arizona and central Texas. This intersectional history has led to ‘the pursuit of independence’ and ‘the celebration of identity’ as major throughlines in my work. Incorporating traditional Korean iconography, colors, and patterns as well as folding techniques in my creative process, I invoke themes such as transnational migration, toxic masculinity, and neo-colonization.

My portfolio reflects this cross-pollination and dynamic interplay between origami and other art forms like sculpture, ceramics, printmaking, painting and multimedia. I see my work as an overlap of craft and fine art; as autobiography and social commentary about marginalization, gender identity, injustice, and bureaucracy. Within my compositions, the confluence of light and shadow invites viewers to delve deeper, encouraging a reconsideration of ingrained beliefs regarding what exists within the hidden folds and layers. As the author of two books on origami and an international guest lecturer on the form, the incorporation of creases and folds is not merely incidental.

For two decades, I have dedicated myself to teaching origami,and visual art in public and private schools. Collaborating with arts organizations and museums, I have brought art to thousands of students worldwide. For me, art is not only an exploration but also a platform for dialogue and introspection. I draw inspiration from artists like Do Ho Suh, who skillfully captures the intersection of home and memory; Lynda Benglis, known for playfully pushing the boundaries of folding, wrapping, and pouring; Wangechi Mutu, a trailblazer in redefining interdisciplinary art; and Ruth Asawa, who transforms utilitarian elements into captivating and lasting works of art.

All of which comes into play within my series of pressure prints which use military uniforms, traditional Korean clothing, and other textiles as a way to examine gender and generational expectations. The resulting ghostlike imagery and residual reliefs act as haunting, x-ray manifestations of how clothes define us, hide us, and reveal us. My upcoming residency at the Center for Contemporary Printmaking (where I’ll be collaborating with a master printer on this series) feels like a natural stepping stone to an MFA program.

My undergraduate program was a customized baccalaureate degree (with a double major in Folding and Fine Art and Asian Art Studies) through CUNY Graduate Center and Hunter College, where I benefited from one-on-one mentorships with accomplished professors such as Joel Carreiro, Chitra Ganesh, Jeffrey Mongrain, Alva Mooses, Steve Montgomery, and Juan Sanchez. These inspirational faculty members not only nurtured my creative process but also invited me to present lectures and demos to Hunter College BFA and MFA students regarding the aforementioned transfer prints as well as my approach to ceramics which incorporates silk-screening and decal application to clay surfaces.

I’m eager to contribute my unique perspective and collaborative impulses to the artistically ambitious and intellectually stimulating environment that comprise your faculty and cohort community.