#shared destinies

[laptoparmageddon]

Redesigned Shared Destinies Mettaton in his human form.

[mlleclaudine]

John Pai Transforms Steel Into Delicate, Airy Sculptures

by Kate Mothes - Colossal, September 12, 2024

“Shared Destinies” (2014), welded steel, 85.5 x 108 x 85 centimeters

For more than seventy years, John Pai’s artistic practice has delved into themes ranging from memory and the subconscious to international art forms, East Asian philosophy, and science. Starting in the early 1960s, he began working with steel, investigating both its technical and aesthetic potential through abstract shapes influenced by Constructivism.

Pai is known for his meticulous and detailed metal sculptures, which weld thin strips in lattices and sheets to create delicate woven textures. A material we typically associate with heavy-duty construction is transformed into intimate works that appear as if they could float on air. Soft curves and gauzy surfaces suggest organic forms or textiles in contrast to industrial applications.

“Risen, Fallen, Walken” (1987), welded steel, 120 x 109 x 54 centimeters

Shared Destinies, the artist’s solo exhibition at Gallery Hyundai, presents nearly 40 pieces Pai has made throughout the past seven decades. Comprising welded steel sculptures, drawings, and paintings, the show illuminates the artist’s multidisciplinary approach to material, process, and form.

In the work “Shared Destinies,” for example—which lends the show its name—layers of delicately welded steel suggest a woven basket. Ethereal pieces like “Invocation” bring to mind the undulating, woven wire sculptures of Ruth Asawa. The visible inner structures mirror the universal layers of the human psyche, time, and the artist’s journey of self-exploration.

Shared Destinies continues through October 20 in Seoul. See more on the gallery’s website.

“Involution” (1974), welded steel, 98 x 98 x 97 centimeters

“Forgotten Rule” (1990), welded steel, 92 x 102.5 x 41.8 centimeters

“Untitled” (1982), welded steel, 86 x 52 x 58 centimeters

‘Heaven and Earth’ series, 1 to 7 (2024), welded steel, variable dimensions

“Untitled 1970, Entitled 2021” (1970), welded steel, 92 x 92 x 38.9 centimeters

[stregaomega]

“...My heart...”

Considering The Queen no longer has her heart, Regina having already crushed it, I find that an interesting choice of words...  Paired with the knowledge **SPOILER** that the sword destined to kill Emma can also kill the Queen... I can’t help but wonder...

If the Queen actually had her heart... would she be so ready to fulfill Emma’s prophecy? Or would she die to protect her?