With her exhibit, "Fractal Illumination," Park creates an entire artificial environment -- a cave-like room that allows people to literally step inside the artwork. Egg cartons draped along the walls give the impression of a rocky interior, and strategically placed lights demonstrate the effects of shadow on manufactured products and natural materials.
Park said her inspiration for the exhibit came from the geometry she observed around her. For instance, the overlapping drywall in her project is a recreation of the patterns of overlapping trees outside the Hop. The exhibit's examination of light and shadow dates back to a drowning experience during her childhood, Park said, when she saw a tunnel of light from beneath the water's surface.
Evidently, Park draws inspiration from all of her surroundings, and the academia at Dartmouth is no exception.
"The best part is the friends I made with faculty members from various departments," Park said. "Our worlds are different based on what we pay attention to, and that kind of variety is inspiring."
Park said she prefers teaching at Dartmouth, as opposed to an art school, because of the academic variety present at the College. Park attended the Columbus College of Art and Design in Columbus, Ohio, and Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., for her bachelor and master of fine arts degrees, respectively. She praised Dartmouth for encouraging interdisciplinary studies, which she said allow students to explore topics they would not encounter at a vocational school.
Graduates in any occupation need creativity, Park said, explaining that it is her job to help non-art majors learn to appreciate art through her sculpture and drawing courses. She also hopes that students will develop a keen eye to recognize the architecture in their environment.
Park's specialty, as exhibited in "Fractal Illumination," is installation art, which she first delved into in St. Louis, Mo., after a post-graduate residency at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture in Maine.
Installation art can be demanding because projects are often constructed on a large scale.
"People ask me why I work as an installation artist when I'm already making a living as a professor, but I wouldn't be at Dartmouth in the first place if I wasn't active as an artist," Park said.
Park said she chose to remain a working artist because the intuitive and scientific process of physically expressing the geometry within a room is a cathartic experience for her.
"It's like having a religion," she said. "You believe in it. I will probably pull an all-nighter [constructing a project], but the point is sharing the sensorial experience of being immersed in the space."
To make the exhibit more accessible, Park used a window space so her work is visible from the hallway. Because there aren't individual sculptures displayed on stands like in a conventional exhibit, people are allowed more freedom in their viewing experience.
Park said she finds that exhibits often intimidate people because they feel pressured to interpret the art a certain way. Yet, there is no right or wrong answer, she said.
"I don't believe in art as an object," Park explained. "It is a manifestation of an idea."
Likewise, Park does not limit herself to traditional sculpting. Park names daylight as a medium for her work because she takes advantage of its unpredictability, which she said she finds exciting. She attributes her affinity for transience to moving frequently during her life, from South Korea to Georgia, to Missouri and New Hampshire, to name a few.
Park said she plans to remain in Hanover for a while, however, and has brainstormed future projects that will take her artwork out of the gallery and into public space.
One of the ideas that she hopes to pursue involves the Ledyard bridge between Vermont and New Hampshire.
"There is something very intriguing about the bridge, such as the combination of the hustle and bustle and nature," Park said. "There is a lot of tension as well that arises from people's reliance on the architecture when they drive across."
Park is also considering a piece involving kites or parachutes, so she can work with air. The project will present her with the new challenge of dealing with greater scale and weather-resistant material, Park said.
In the meantime, Park's "Fractal Illumination," on display until March 15, will allow viewers to observe how the simplest objects can create an engaging space, and to appreciate the natural art that can be found outside the confines of any gallery.
