The Aesthetics of Movement and the Spirit of Science
Baehyung Park (Aesthetics, HK Research Professor, Seoul National University)
Anyone who has encountered the works of Noh Haeyul will notice his relentless exploration of motifs related to movement. As the titles of his series-Swing, General Move, and Movable-suggest, it is nearly impossible to understand his work without considering the theme of movement. This raises the question: What drives Noh Haeyul to be so deeply engrossed in the dynamic elements of objects and the world?
In truth, we are constantly exposed to movement. This fact is so familiar that we often forget it. But take a moment to look around. From the people passing us on the street to the vehicles that symbolize the speed of modern urban civilization, and even the moving images on large electronic billboards, we live in a world of motion. We ourselves contribute to this movement. Nature, too, is a continuous flow of motion-the drifting clouds, the blowing wind, the flapping wings of birds, and the currents of rivers cutting through cities. Noh Haeyul's attempts to capture and express these diverse movements reveal an essential aspect of our lives. However, the significance of his work is not limited to these visible motions. He also seeks to capture the invisible movements and, in doing so, presents them in his unique way. This is what defines and distinguishes him as an artist.
So, what are these invisible movements he embodies in his works? They are the movements within us-the inner workings of our minds. This is his primary focus. He observes the movements of his own mind, born from his experiences, and transforms them into various forms. Just as external objects are in a constant state of change and motion, the human mind is never still. As long as life continues, the flow of consciousness will never cease. Yet, this flow is not one-directional, like a river. The inner events of our minds are not merely linear; they are complex and multifaceted. Our inner movements are conflicts, collisions, surges like powerful waves, and sometimes quiet ripples. At times, they swell with joy or rage, and at other times, they are simply calm. Noh Haeyul not only expresses these ever-changing inner movements but also seeks to communicate with his audience. He wants to convey the joy of life, hopes for empathy with his anger, loneliness, and melancholy, and, above all, wishes for his audience to find solace in his works, just as he does through the process of creating them.
We might expect his works to reflect the instability, disorder, and complexity of our inner landscapes. Yet, standing before his pieces, this expectation is quickly shattered. His works are remarkably orderly and refined, each one clearly finished. Yes, his works are highly polished. What he presents is far from a chaotic, momentary outpouring of emotions. The sleek, orderly forms of his completed works are further accentuated by his use of metal. Yet, these forms generate various movements that vividly convey the inner landscape. The ability to express the tangled, elusive nature of our inner selves through simple forms and movements speaks to his long, patient, and thorough engagement with his subject. He does not hastily produce half-baked expressions; instead, like a scientist, he explores, experiments, and finds the most efficient path to the appropriate expression. Thus, his final works are efficient structures that combine considerations of material, dynamics, and acoustics. This reveals another defining characteristic of Noh Haeyul: his scientific spirit. No matter how much he emphasizes the nuances of "emotion," this scientific spirit underlies his work. He captures the subtlest tremors of feeling with unparalleled sensitivity while also meticulously analyzing and calculating. In his works, we see a fusion of art and science. Of course, this is not entirely new. Many Renaissance masters were also scientists, and the Futurists of the early 20th-century avant-garde were deeply influenced by science. Noh Haeyul makes us think about how art and science-or engineering-should come together, and he grapples with this question himself. At a time when the intersection of cutting-edge technology and art captures popular attention, his work pursues this meeting in a distinctly different way. His path is not one of dazzling colors, flashing lights, or mesmerizing visuals. His work does not transport us to a fantastical world beyond reality. Instead, he reveals the inherent properties of his materials and allows us to experience the three-dimensional space we inhabit as it is, without escaping reality. He makes us pause before his works, inviting us to feel and contemplate the luster, texture, and form of the materials, as well as the rhythms they create-and to enjoy it all.
Let us return to the theme of movement. Noh Haeyul confidently states that the subject of movement will not be exhausted anytime soon. Like a child, he will continue to joyfully seek out and express the seemingly endless variety of movements. Whether it's a metal cone model reacting randomly to the wind or metal plates colliding under mechanical force, he will continue to orchestrate the effects of movement-both intentional and accidental-in his works, and he will relish it more than anyone. Yet, what drives him in his ongoing work is not merely the fascination with the spectacle of movement. What guides him is a rhythm of life that, though often hidden, we occasionally feel distinctly. Hidden within the seemingly irregular, capricious motions is an orderly rhythm, and it is this rhythm that he variations. It is a rhythm of life that we easily lose without realizing it but yearn to rediscover. In his work, he discovers and expresses this rhythm, restoring his own sense of it. Thus, in his laborious process, he does not merely expend energy; he recovers his sense of rhythm, renewing and revitalizing himself. If his work is a journey to reclaim the rhythm of life, how could he not immerse himself in it? How could he stop exploring movement?
Noh Haeyul hopes that his audience, like himself, can recover a healthy sense of life's rhythm through his works. In this sense, he is a universalist who believes in the universality of this rhythm and its potential to be universally conveyed. So, even as he works alone in his studio today, his heart remains open to all. Let us watch with anticipation how this open-hearted artist, Noh Haeyul, will open our hearts as well. Let us willingly lend an ear to the message of movement he offers.