From South Korea, Do-Ho Suh came to the United States in 1991. He is known for his meticulously crafted sculptures and installations. One of his first pieces was an installation, Some/One, that earned international attention. Created from about 100,000 military dog tags, the work is room size and was featured both at the Philip Morris branch of the Whitney Museum and at the 49th Venice Biennale. He relates this installation to his three-year mandatory service in the South Korean army where he was trained as an infantryman and hated it. From his New York studio, he said in 2002: "It was grueling. It was probably the most difficult period for me, physically and psychologically."

In appearance and manners, Suh is conservative, with shor...