SIUC glass artist has BIGG breakthrough

From Carbondale to Columbus, Ohio, Hyun Sung Cho is best in show.

Cho, a graduate student from Seoul, South Korea, in the glass program, had his work selected as Best in Show at BIGG: Breakthrough Ideas in Global Glass. The exhibit featured work from 43 artists; which was narrowed down from more than 800 applicants. Of the 43, Cho was one of 10 artists to earn Best in Show.

“The exhibit is a way of discovering the next generation of glass artists,” said Kelly Stevelt, deputy director of Ohio State University’s Urban Art Space program.
The exhibit, which runs through Oct. 10 at Ohio State University, is a way to foster creativity locally and internationally, she said.

“Part of what we are hoping to come out from this is an international community of artists who stay connected and support and challenge one another in the field,” she said.

The opening night of the event featured more than half the artists’ work and Stevelt said it was a great way for artists to communicate their ideas with each other.

Three jurors — Lino Tagliapietra, Tina Oldknow and Tom Hawk — narrowed the applications down to 93 selected works by the 43 artists.

“We all got together and sat through quite a few applications and juried the works on their individual merits,” Hawk said.

The judges looked for an overview of worldwide artists with innovative ideas using glass as a medium, he said.

“We just felt his (Cho) work sort of stood out, he said. “The group of the ten (artists’) work was head and shoulders above a lot of the others.”

He said it was interesting to learn about how Cho was now living in the country and missed the hustle and bustle of city life.

“When I lived in the big city, the city was a very crowded and not a very joyful place,” Cho said. “However, now as I am living in the countryside, my feeling about the city is shifting a little.”

He said he wanted to showcase his feelings for the city with his artwork.

“The city is a little bit different than the countryside, there are many people, cars and buildings,” he said. ”It makes for many different situations.”

He said he uses his work to express the unique images, which only a city can create.

“Mainly, I am creating the imaginations which the scenery of the city inspires in me,” he said.

Cho created the award-winning piece by blowing glass and applying an image of Seoul over the glass.

This is the first year of BIGG’s existence but Hawk said there are already plans for a show in 2012.

The entire exhibit can be viewed here.