Interview with Ji-hoo Lee, Winner of the 4th SNU Public Art Project

Ji-hoo Lee, Class of '20, Department of Mechanical Engineering

We interviewed Ji-hoo Lee, a student in the Department of Mechanical Engineering (Class of '20), who won the 4th SNU 'Next to the Library' public art project. The grand prize-winning work, 'There, Where the Footstep Pauses', interprets the contest theme of 'Pause' with depictions of wild and racehorses. It will be showcased the lawn in front of the second-floor entrance of the Kwanjeong Library.

> Please introduce yourself.

Hello, I'm Ji-hoo Lee, Class of '20, majoring in Mechanical Engineering with a double major in Architecture. While pursuing architecture, I developed a desire to observe various places and engage in creative work. One day, passing by the Kwanjeong Library, I discovered a ceremony for the winners of the 3rd contest at the public art installation site. It was my first exposure to the contest, and I decided to participate.

> Briefly explain the SNU Public Art Project Contest and tell us about your contested work.

The SNU Public Art Project is organized by the Seoul National University Basic Education Institute. I participated in the '4th SNU 'Next to the Library' Public Art Project Student Art Contest.' The theme, 'For a moment,' explores the challenging and empty moments students face during school life when they pause. My response to this theme was inspired by a passage from 'Howard's Gift,' a book I read in high school. The phrase, "A racehorse stops thinking to run, but a wild horse stops running to think," seemed fitting. After much contemplation and asking people around me about coping with tough times, my answer aligned with the idea from 'Howard's Gift'—'It's okay to stop.' Instead of constant racing like a horse, I believed that occasionally pausing to reflecte's actions and direction was essential. To translate this concept into art, I aimed to juxtapose racehorses and wild horses. The static wild horse was represented by a bench symbolizing a resting space, while the running racehorse was depicted with kinetic art, wings swaying in the wind. The meaning was conveyed through the dynamic contrast between movement and pause.

> Please tell us what you found most difficult while creating your work, or if there was anything you considered particularly important.

What I personally felt was disappointing while watching the previous project was that the students did not know much about the project. There may be many reasons, such as the installation site of the work being near the Kwanjeong Library, which makes it difficult for students in our department to access it, but such a good contest seemed to be a passing work for many students. Therefore, I wanted my work to be more interactive with students, so I tried to think from the audience's perspective. When I work a work, I try to think of the work and its name notly by considering the work in question, but also by considering the relationship between the work and the audience. So, when I wrote the project introduction and the project name ‘There, Where the Footstep Pauses,’ I wrote it from the audience’s perspective. Of course, since it is a work of art, it is natural that it has to have aesthetic elements, that is, to be pretty.
Also, a lot of attention was paid to the detailed design and design of the work. I think I was able to combine a lot of aesthetic and mechanical engineering elements in this process. The concept is divided into two categories: wild horses and racehorses. Among them, the concept of racehorses is expressed through kinetic art swaying in the wind. However, being blown around by the wind is not as easy as you might think. Therefore, we proceeded with the design based the knowledge we learned in mechanical engineering. The design was designed by taking the shape from an airplane wing and observing a horse running using a motion tracker. Also, the knowledge I learned in mechanical engineering was of great help when designing the linkage of the swinging wing. We made an experimental version during vacation to check its movement, and added parts to limit the swing angle of the wing, just as we were making a linkage joint in the sky. At the same time, aesthetic elements were also taken into consideration by taking the shape of the linkage in the same shape as a horseshoe. It was also important to notly ensure that the rod which the wings hang did not bend under the weight of the wings, but also to select beautiful materials. At this time, the material was selected considering the stress-strain graph and Young’s modulus learned in mechanical engineering.
What was difficult was meeting the installation budget for the work. The budget was 5 million won, and although 5 million won may seem like a lot, it is actually very small. So, by doing some hard research and adjusting prices, we were able to save a lot of money. A processing company called Trueneer told me that I must win because they wouldly charge me the cost of materials, and the teachers at Idea Factory also helped me a lot. I think the most difficult thing was balancing the costs.

> I heard that you will be producing and installing the actual work from September to October. Please let me know if you have any related plans or expectations.

Starting tomorrow, I will meet with Professor Choi Chun-woong from the Department of Architecture, serving as the mentor for the winning team, to initiate planning. Modifications to the submitted design may occur during the critique with professors and students. The goal is to complete the project between late October and early November, with the use of a CNC cutter for joints. Confidence in non-machine manufacturing stems from extensive vacation practice.

> Lastly, what meaning can this public art project have for students?

As mentioned in the theme introduction, the artwork aims to convey that it's acceptable to pause during challenging moments. Busy students often get caught up in time and competition, akin to racehorses, frequently halting thoughts to move forward. Becoming a momentarily free wild horse can evoke feelings of emptiness and loneliness. However, that brief moment of stopping and self-reflection is essential. It allows us to become aware of the binding flow, break free, and walk our path at our pace. The artwork captures the 'moment' of a wild horse paused amid racing horses, providing comfort in the acceptability of pausing. The audience is integral to the artwork, where even a glance at something shaking near the library can lead to a momentary pause and self-reflection. The bench offers an opportunity for rest and reflection, embodying the essence of pausing.
Regarding the public art project's meaning, it informs students unfamiliar with art about its importance. Aesthetics hold significance notly in architectural but also in mechanical engineering projects. The world without art would be dreary, and art provides a chance to take a break while appreciating beauty. The artwork aims to show something new, unseen by those unfamiliar with this type of art, and emphasize the variety and quality of art. Above all, the hope is for people to enjoy looking at beautiful things.

MEch-SSENGER: Song Sae-in, Jeong Seok-cheol, Kim In-young