Korean Artist Do Ho Suh awarded honorary doctorate from Kingston University in recognition of innovative and inspiring artistic practice

Internationally renowned Korean artist Do Ho Suh has been awarded an honorary Doctor of Art and Design at a special ceremony at the Stanley Picker Gallery, based at Kingston School of Art. 

The award was conferred on the London-based artist, whose work is currently on display in a major survey exhibition at Tate Modern, in recognition of outstanding contribution to the arts, and for his innovative and inspiring artistic and sculptural practice.

Speaking at the ceremony Suh said he felt honoured to be receiving the Honorary Doctorate. “My art practice exists within quite a specialised world, so being acknowledged by an institution outside of galleries and museums is something I never really considered. It's a tremendous privilege to receive this award from Kingston University," he said.

Having studied at educational institutes such as Seoul National University, Rhode Island School of Design and Yale University, Suh spoke about the benefits of studying creative subjects at degree level. "My father always said that art is not something you can actually teach, it's more about being part of a community – you're surrounded by very creative and talented people, and it feels like a little village,” he said. 

“The benefits I got from all the different schools was being part of that community. The friendships you make continue after graduation and become a great supporting structure when you're starting out as an artist. School also helps you become strong and confident about your work – it gives you resilience. When you've been challenged during group critiques, you learn how to put your work out there and defend it."

Do Ho Suh has established himself as one of the most significant contemporary artists, exploring themes of home, displacement, and cultural identity through his innovative sculptural installations. His most celebrated works include meticulously-crafted fabric replicas of architectural spaces, including his childhood home in Seoul and apartments in New York. He constructs these replicas using translucent materials that allow viewers to physically enter and experience these reimagined domestic environments. 

Suh's installations have been featured in major international exhibitions, including the Venice Biennale, and are held in prestigious collections such as the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Tate Modern in London, and the Whitney Museum of American Art. His ground-breaking approach to sculpture, which transforms personal memory into universal experiences of belonging and transition, has earned him recognition as a leading voice in contemporary art's examination of globalisation and cultural migration. Through his work, Suh creates powerful metaphors for the immigrant experience while challenging traditional notions of home as a fixed, permanent space.

When asked about advice for graduating art students, Do Ho Suh reflected on his own journey with humility, acknowledging that his path to a career in the arts was unique. “When things were really difficult, I didn't doubt what I was doing. I could have easily gone back to Korea or changed my career, but I went the other way and just stuck with it. I didn't overthink things too much – sometimes that's what gets you through the tough periods," he said.

Kingston University Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor Helen Laville said she had been struck by the similarities in Do Ho Suh's artistic ethos and collaborative nature with Kingston School of Art students. “Do Ho Suh's work is fascinatingly interdisciplinary, his recent exhibition includes sculpture, installation, video, fabric, textiles, painting and rubbings – he's interested in many different techniques,” she explained. “That approach of thinking about using different materials to interpret memory felt absolutely aligned with Kingston School of Art, where our students work across disciplines and learn from each other."

"His work resonates so deeply because it's about the idea of home, something that speaks very much to our students, many of whom are international and have brought pieces of home with them. It really speaks to our identity and what we carry with us throughout our lives."

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