at Audible Garden, Korean Culture Centre UK, London, UK, JUL 21 - 13 OCT, 2023
Hanging Garden, 2023. Mixed media mobile.
Piano wire, black acrylic panel, aluminum rod, 12 super directional loudspeakers, Dimension variable
Hanging Garden
In this installation, the artist elegantly weaves an audiotapestry of his personal memories, stitched together with fragments of sound that echo in the urban garden. Drawing upon an autoethnographic approach, the artist becomes both the creator and the subject of his work, embedding his personal narratives within the amorphous nature of his sonic masterpiece.
Each note of birdsong, each whisper of water, each ambulance, and each burst of children's laughter is more than just a representation of natural and urban life; they are the auditory essence of the artist's past, transposed into the context of the present. The invisible actors, the twelve wandering speakers, become the vessels that carry the artist’s experiences, stories, and emotions across the exhibition space. They play an unpredictable symphony, infused with his personal recollections, their random paths echoing the uncharted course of memory itself.
Inviting the audience to contribute to the airflow within the space, the artist positions his personal memories within a shared, dynamic context. Each participant not only interacts with the piece but becomes a part of the artist's narrative, their movements stirring the artist's memories, setting them adrift within the space. This fluid exchange blurs the boundary between the individual and collective experience, furthering the artist's exploration into the interconnectedness of personal memory and shared reality.
In his exploration of the intersection of technology, nature, and personal memory, the artist redefines our relationship with public spaces. By infusing technology with his personal recollections, he allows us to experience not just the abstract concept of an urban garden, but his personal rendition of it. This artist statement is not merely a reflection of his perception but a sonic memoir that invites us to partake in his personal journey and interpret it through our sensory experiences.
The installation thus becomes an exquisite junction where art meets memory, where the familiar intertwines with the extraordinary, and where personal narrative melds into collective experience. In this dynamic, immersive soundscape, the artist beckons us to traverse the landscape of his memory, to resonate with his experiences, and to engage with the spaces we inhabit in a deeply intimate, personal way.
Photo by Dan Weill, Courtesy of the KCCUK
& Sungbaek Kim