1st Catalog Entry Korean Art History
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An Analysis of Do Ho Suh’s
Some/One
(2001)
Korean Art History
Catalog Entry #1
“Some/One,” by Do Ho Suh
Source: Whitney Museum of American Art
1, 2
[1]
“Some/One” accessed October 5, 2022,
https://whitney.org/collection/works/16102
.
[2]
“Thousands of Dog Tags Make a Symbolic Robe” accessed October 5, 2022,
https://mymodernmet.com/thousands-of-dog-tags-make-a/
Do Ho Suh’s metal sculpture “Some/One” is not only a personal reflection of the artist,
but is also a reflection of Korean society, war history, and its effects on the individual. Educated
both in Korea and abroad, Do Ho Suh is a Korean-born sculptor and installation artist and has
experienced many modern South Korean rites of passage including military enlistment. These
rites of passage shape his experience and perception of life which is strongly reflected in all of
his work. “Some/One,” made in 2001 and funded by the Whitney Museum of American Art, is
composed of one hundred thousand stainless steel dog tags in a “9-foot structure resembling a
piece of armor or a ceremonial robe whose hem extends to cover the floor of the space”
(WMMA). Looking at it on the micro-scale, the individual dog tags are all custom-stamped with
incomprehensible symbols, rather than real Korean names or other identification indicators–
making these identities seem fictional and fabricated. The interior of the robe is made from a
reflective metal with mirror-like properties. Based on its installation in the WWMA, the artwork
is intended to be viewed from behind, and as one makes their way around to the front they are
finally able to see the reflective mirror interior.
This paper seeks to investigate Do Ho Suh’s “Some/One” as a commentary on Korea’s
collectivist society and the impact that the military and the Korean war have on the individual.
This piece can be dissected and analyzed amongst three components: the form, the detail, and the
internal workings which are operationalized by the general shape of the robe, the dog tags, and
the reflective mirror interior.
The form of “Some/One” contains similarities to ancient Korean scale armor. When
comparing the piece to historical archives of Korean scale armor like the one from the Journal of
the Korean Society of Costume’s collection, it is clear that the piece takes inspiration from
Joseon designs for military wear. One can say that the general design and the configuration of the
dog tags resemble the scales on scale armor, a garment that is integral to the military regimes of
Joseon. As seen in figure 1, the dog tag scaling in Suh’s piece is similar to the scaling seen from
the Joseon dynasty during the 1800s. The general form of the entire piece also has a semblance
of leather armor for foot soldiers of the late Joseon period seen in figure 2. Suh’s artistic choice
of form ties the piece not only to modern Korean history with the microdetails of the scales being
made of military dog tags but also an homage to Korean ancient design as a whole.
Figure 1. Iron Armor Scale with Rust from Joseon Dynasty, Journal of the Korean
Society of Costume
Figure 2, Leather Armor for Foot Soldiers, Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
The hundred thousand dog tags in Suh’s piece work as a symbol for Korea’s collectivist
society and the lasting implications of the Korean War and militaristic tensions with the North.
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Dog tags are seen as a symbol not only for military enlistment but also as a record of identity. In
“Some/One,” Suh intentionally configures the dog tags in a way that creates an illusion of a
collective whole, rather than individual pieces. Moreover, he chooses to stamp random letters
and symbols on the tags rather than real names to suggest anonymity and a crisis with identity
when men enlist in the military. The illusion of a collective body rather than the individual tags
suggests that Korea works as a collectivist society, with each piece depending and relying on one
another to maintain a status quo. The lack of legible names on the tags emphasizes the idea that
the tensions and constant political, and militaristic turmoil the country faces cause its’ men to
jeopardize their individuality in order to serve their country. Rather than objectively detailing his
time within the Korean military or the historical context of the enlistment system, he conveys the
emotions of anonymity that many soldiers feel during their enlistment. Considering Korea’s past
of Japanese colonization, the Korean War, and continuing tensions that all influence the current
system of military enlistment, Suh’s piece provides the viewer with a profound impact on how
the past can shape current systems and how these systems affect the individual.
Lastly, the interior reflective metal workings of “Some/One” calls the viewer to directly
interact and reflect with the work. When facing the front of the robe sculpture, we are able to see
how the internal side of the robe is made of a reflective metal that works like a mirror. For Suh,
this aspect of the artwork can be a symbol of reflection of identity as a Korean citizen. Although
Korean society works collectively and all men are required to devote their time and efforts in the
military for the greater good of their nation, those within society should reflect and regain their
individuality as well. For the average viewer of the piece, the mirror is a call to action as it can
show your true self and imbue the viewer with a sense of reflection. All in all, Do Ho Suh’s
“Some/One” provokes an emotive retelling of contextualized Korean military enlistment,
Korea’s collectivist social system, and individuality while incorporating late Joseon dynasty
garment styles.
References
Park, Ga Young. “The Korean Society of Costume.”
Http://Kjournal.co.kr/
, Korean Society of
Costume, 30 Sept. 2019, http://www.kjournal.co.kr/_common/do.php?
a=full&b=12&bidx=1714&aidx=21234.
Suh, Do Ho. “Do Ho Suh: Some/One.”
Do Ho Suh | Some/One | Whitney Museum of American
Art
, Whitney Museum of American Art, https://whitney.org/collection/works/16102.
Yoo, Alice. “Thousands of Dog Tags Make a Symbolic Robe.”
My Modern Met
, My Modern
Met, 17 June 2016, https://mymodernmet.com/thousands-of-dog-tags-make-a/.
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