About

Currently based in the Twin Cities, Sunghee Min is a metal artist who specializes in public art sculptures. Sunghee Min was born in and grew up in rural South Korea and later moved to San Francisco, California to study sculpture and installation art at the Academy of Art University. After graduating in 2000, she established her art career as a metal sculptor in San Francisco’s Bayview Arts District. Since moving to Minnesota in 2016, she has been focusing on making public art. She creates large scale sculptures suitable for public outdoor places, and her sculptures convey a sense of joy, playfulness, and welcoming. Many of her works are designed to be highly visible, in tall vertical shapes inspired by ancient totem poles which one of their purposes is to welcome the residents and visitors. Sunghee’s work is process-driven, using manufactured metal sheets, bars, and other shaped products in steel, stainless steel, and aluminum, she builds her objects cumulatively by jointing smaller elements into larger structures. Sunghee’s works are constructed solely by herself, utilizing structural elements to build volume with minimal material in order to keep her process sustainable.

Geometry is another theme that ties Sunghee’s work. She uses geometrical shapes for their simplicity and universal familiarity. While adhering closely to geometric shapes limits spontaneity during process, Sunghee appreciates the clarity and deliberate forms achieved in her finished pieces. Sunghee explores both man-made structures and natural forms for her inspiration, and is particularly drawn to the linear, skeletal structures found in plants at the end of their life cycles. Sunghee finds these forms simultaneously delicate and strong, qualities that resonate prominently throughout her body of work. With Sunghee Min’s specialty in large scale metal sculptures, many of her work has been displayed in public outdoor exhibits across the Midwest.