In the heart of Brooklyn's Green-Wood Cemetery, artist Jean Shin has introduced two innovative installations that invite reflection on life and mortality. These works, unveiled on April 18, encourage visitors to contemplate the rituals that shape our understanding of time and memory.
The first installation, titled "Offering" (2026), is a regenerative earthwork that honors the trees that have thrived in Green-Wood. Drawing inspiration from tumuli--burial mounds seen in various cultures--Shin's design reflects the rounded forms found in traditional Korean funerary practices. This unique approach challenges conventional cemetery aesthetics, as noted by Harry Weil, Green-Wood's vice president of education and public programs, who sought to incorporate found materials into the installation.
Upon visiting the site, Shin encountered two aging trees--a red oak and a pin oak--that were deemed unsafe and needed removal. This prompted her to create a ceremonial burial, paralleling her previous work, "Fallen" (2021), where she honored a felled hemlock tree. "I wanted everything to have ceremony," Shin remarked, emphasizing the importance of recognizing these trees as part of our collective heritage.
In "Offering," Shin collaborated with cemetery staff to carve a trench over a hundred feet long, symbolizing the magnitude of the trees' lives. She utilized natural materials like fallen leaves and branches to enrich the burial site, fostering a living ecosystem as the trees decompose. During a community ritual on April 16, led by Korean shaman Mudang Jenn, attendees planted wildflowers atop the mound, visually enhancing the memorial.
Shin's vision extends beyond the physical installation; she aims to illustrate that death is not merely an end but a transformative beginning. This theme resonates with the recent reopening of the historic Weir Greenhouse, a Victorian-era structure that now serves as a visitor center and exhibition space, further enriching the cultural landscape of Green-Wood Cemetery.
Originally built in 1880 and restored through a $43 million initiative, the Weir Greenhouse now houses Shin's earlier work, "Celadon Landscape" (2015-2019), which features monumental mosaic vases crafted from discarded ceramic shards. This installation reflects Shin's connection to her Korean heritage and the broader narrative of diaspora, illustrating how fragmented identities can still foster a sense of belonging.
Shin invites visitors to engage with her work by writing names of loved ones on mulberry paper, which will later be collated into a scroll. This interactive element aims to create a shared space for remembrance and connection, echoing the sentiments expressed in both "Offering" and "Celadon Landscape." As we navigate the complexities of modern life, these installations serve as poignant reminders of our interconnectedness and the enduring power of memory.