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Sang Sik Hongs' work is all made by hand; each straw is hand placed, a contrast to the technology we live in today. The softness of the acrylic he paints behind the straws creates a precise beauty that embodies Hong's work. The totality of Hong’s work would not be as fresh and uninteruppted had a machine made it. His emotions and personal desires go into making each piece. Hong’s sculptures go beyond the limit of the materials; the images of lips may be interpreted as symbols of desire.
Connecting such symbolized images and symbolic meanings (power and sex) reveals clearly that his interest is focused on human desires. “Although every one desires power, only a few of people can have it. Power is the symbol of strength and the object for one’s wish since it accompanies many interests. Power is strong, scarce and heading toward eternity. However, the straw, contrary to the properties of power, is a weak structure, easily available to anyone for it is produced on a large scale and a disposable material.” His wit symbolizes semantic relationships and the structure of desires connotes the pathos of reality. undefined