human
desire for immortality
My work investigates simulations of nature as expressions of the human desire for immortality.
Stone is often used to commemorate the dead: it is a symbol of strength, stability and permanence. After witnessing the death of a loved one and experiencing grief, I began to ponder mortality and the desire for permanence. What I realized was nothing is permanent. Even rocks get worn away by wind and water, and eventually disappear. My use of materials re ects the fact that what we perceive to be permanent is actually ephemeral.
In my work, I explore how far I can push the boundaries of imitations in order to inspire reverence and respect for its visual effect. I do not aim to trick the viewer with the faux, but rather generate life from it.
Most of my sculptures are hollow inside in order to emphasize that there is a void under the surface of a monumental structure. Opposing states coexist: hollowness inside bulkiness, physical lightness inside visual heaviness, and immanence within emptiness. They are only surfaces, yet they may be more than that.
Nara Park is a DC based artist who makes packaging boxes with faux pattern to create sculptures and installations that imitate the natural environment and reflect on our human mortality. She holds a Master of Fine Arts in sculpture from the Maryland Institute College of Art, where she received the Henry Walters Traveling Fellowship and the Outstanding Student Achievement in Contemporary Sculpture Award by the International Sculpture Center.
Her work has been on exhibit at Grounds for Sculpture, Baltimore/Washington International Airport, (e)merge Art Fair, CONNERSMITH., and Rush Arts Gallery. Her work has been featured in the Sculpture magazine, The Washington Post, Huffington Post, Art Fag City, and NY Arts Magazine.