In Astronaut Maneuvering Unit, Jaehun Park presents a sculpture that sits at the intersection of science fiction and contemporary technology. The piece seems to emerge from a future that has already begun, yet remains unrecognised – as if it has escaped from a space where technology, language, and form are already interconnected in a new way.
The title alludes to space travel technology, yet the visual structure of the object goes beyond mere functional recognisability. It appears as a hybrid of capsule, exoskeleton, and memory machine. The controlled, stylised form evokes the image of an abstract icon or a ritualistic ornament from an unknown culture.
The clinical white colour evokes a sense of sterility, yet is interrupted by fuchsia accents that suggest a vibrant, pulsing detail. The flawless, artificial finish both invites touch and maintains distance
Park’s work doesn’t pose direct questions, but instead evokes scenarios. It seems to envision a world where humans – or some replacement thereof – move through controlled environments, with an integrated relationship between body and technology. Astronaut Maneuvering Unit is not a nostalgic object, but a forward-looking fragment, radiating both control and abandonment – as if waiting for activation.
This work fits within Park’s broader practice, where form, function, and fiction converge in objects that resonate with the spirit of our time: post-human, technically sublime, and existentially open.