Public Sculpture

From ancient symbols to the abstract, and from social & historical acknowledgement to the inspiration of nature, Seoul displays a wide variety of public sculpture. I have been photographing some of this sculpture as I walk by and wanted to share some of it with you.

Symbolic

This strikes me as a symbolic form, a sign or insignia. The dragon and the pheasant were both royal symbols of the Josen Dynasty and I’m guessing that this is a royal symbol, or an abstracted version of one.

The Venerated General Lee

I was told that this sculpture commemorates the General that began the Josen Dynasty in the early fourteenth century.

A young family

Representational but more abstract, this is a nice young family outside an insurance building. I'm guessing that Korea is a bit like the US in that new, large, public buildings are required to display art.

Family in a bird boat

A scholar (perhaps)

The Korean culture is dedicated to education. Most kids have no responsibilities in the household except to make good grades. The competition for college entrance is fierce.

I call this the girl scout cookie scuplture

Does this look like two birds kissing to you?

Inspired by the sea?

This looks like an undersea form to me. One of my favorite sculptures in Seoul. Sea Shell pouring in to the Chonggeychon River

This hundreds of years old creek was buried over after the war and then a super highway was built over it. In the last few years they took down the highway and built this artificial river. It's a linear park that goes on for miles and the people love it. Families, tourists and young lovers stroll along it. The river is below street level so you can walk along it unencumbered by traffic.

Some sculpture just has good taste

An old mill (perhaps)

Another of my favorite sculptures. I like the texture and simplicity of this one.

There are many more photographs but these seemed like they might be more interesting than the others. I'll be returning to Chicago soon and boy am I glad to be returning after three months. I may come back to Korea someday for the purposes of work, but for now my mind is on going home. As Dorothy says, "there's no place like home". I'm tapping my heels now.