Cut fabric (military uniforms from US soldiers), thread and starch
14 ft h x 36 ft w x 6 ft d
Installation at Philadelphia Museum of Art, PA, 2018
Installation at Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C., 2009
Installation at PKM Gallery, Beijing, 2006
Installation at Roebling Hall, NY, 2005
Shin challenges the function of camouflage by making visible the individuals that make up the US Armed Forces. With the help of the Harbor Defense Museum in New York, she collected the personal histories and uniforms of active soldiers and veterans. In her careful arrangement of deconstructed fatigues pasted flat like wall paper, she highlights the distinctiveness of each person and humanizes their experience. The different types of fabric reflect the varied landscapes in which American troops historically have fought from WWII to Korea and Vietnam to Iraq.