A large sculpture by Korean American artist Michael Joo collapsed during his exhibition opening last week, leaving four people injured.
The piece, Saltiness of Greatness (1992), consists of stacked blocks of compressed salt arranged within a metal framework. According to reports, the structure gave way during the opening reception, and four attendees were transported to a nearby hospital. Those injured included a Korean artist, a gallerist, a curator who also teaches at a New York university, and a Hanwha Foundation board member. The injuries were described as minor, including a hairline fracture and abrasions. The accident was reportedly caused by a careless visitor interaction, though further details were not given.
Originally exhibited in the early 1990s, the sculpture has been described as examining the relative energy consumption of historical and cultural figures, including Genghis Khan, Tokyo Rose, Bruce Lee, and Mao Zedong. Joo, who is based in New York, is known for incorporating organic materials such as sweat, urine, seeds, and animal remains into works that explore transformation and ritual. The work was part of his exhibition Sweat Models 1991–2006, which opened on February 20 at Space ZeroOne in New York
Space ZeroOne is backed by the Seoul-based Hanwha Foundation, which also supports international residencies for Korean artists and is collaborating with Paris’s Centre Pompidou on a museum project in Seoul. Joo’s work is held in major institutional collections, including the Guggenheim Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
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In a statement to the Korean press, a spokesperson for the Hanwha Foundation of Culture expressed regret over the incident and said the organization is reviewing safety procedures. The gallery, located in Tribeca, has temporarily closed following the accident.
