Oliver Architecture

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Do Ho Suh: Staircase III

​I was at the Tate Modern a couple of years ago and saw the installation "Staircase III" by Do Ho Suh. It is a recreation from the artist's memories of his NY apartment.

Despite its simplicity, it is an immediately arresting work. Your initial experience of it is seeing the light diffused through the red fabric. Then you realize that there is some structure to it--stairs, handrails, doorknobs. Then you start marveling at the technical aspects of recreating all of this in fabric. Where the fabric can't keep up with the "real" items, it droops and sags, with the effect being poignant and reflective rather than ​distracting. The forms are all leftovers, voids, imperfect impressions.

Check out the video at the Tate website, also.​