[Gallery Walk] Listening with the Heart... The Sounds of Land and Wind

Two Themes: 'Kim Seung-young Exhibition'

Sound of the Earth
Works Featuring Fire, Water, Light, and Time
Impressive 'Brain' Made of Chains
'Sseulda' Space Filled with Sound of Combing

Sound of the Wind
'Voice of Citizens' as a Speaker Babel Tower
Focus on Positive Language

Seungyoung Kim, Brain, Chains and Scales, 2016~2021. (Photo by Seongbuk Art Museum)

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] On a harsh spring day when the thickest Mongolian yellow dust in five years swept across the Korean Peninsula on strong winds, I visited the Seongbuk-gu Art Museum located in Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Here, an exhibition by installation artist Kim Seung-young (59) is being held under the themes of ‘Sound of the Earth’ and ‘Sound of the Wind.’ I suddenly wondered whether the yellow dust wind, flying all the way from the Gobi Desert and stinging the ears, is the sound of the earth or the sound of the wind. Or, as the Sixth Patriarch Huineng (638?713) said, could it be the sound of the mind, neither earth nor wind?

Kim Seung-young’s works have a mysterious charm that allows one to converse with their inner self through nature. Since his first solo exhibition in 1996, he has worked on themes related to the relationship between humans and nature, communication with others, and self-reflection. He has especially built his own artistic world through synesthetic expressions that encompass not only sight but also hearing, smell, and touch.

The ‘Sound of the Earth’ exhibition is set up on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the museum. The 2nd floor consists of works themed on fire and water, light and time. Entering through a narrow passage at the entrance, one sees a small ‘Window (2003?2021).’ The artist attached a yellow transparent sheet to the actual window of the museum. Beyond the glass, it looks like a faded photograph. It is a moment to summon memories of the past.

At the end of the passage is the video installation ‘Light (2021).’ Kim Seung-young was inspired by the way light seeps into the ruins of an underground trench in the jungles of Normandy, France. In the video, sparkling sunlight and the shadows of birds appear and disappear like illusions repeatedly. Words like ‘hope,’ ‘recovery,’ and ‘ceasefire’ come to mind.

Seungyoung Kim, Beyond, single channel video, Paper·Water·Ink·Sound, 2021. (Photo by Seongbuk Art Museum)

In the spacious area at the innermost part of the 2nd floor is the installation ‘Beyond (2021).’ Upon entering, flames blaze on a curved screen measuring 11 meters wide and 2.7 meters high. In the center of the flames, a pottery vessel rotates clockwise. The sound of dry firewood burning can be heard. On the floor in front of the screen lies a door laid flat. Water droplets falling from the ceiling continuously create small wavefronts on it. A subtle scent penetrates the mask. It is a perfume made of charcoal commissioned by the artist from a professional company.

"The fire burning the firewood seems like destruction, but since it is firing an earthenware vessel, it also has a creative aspect. Water is the source of all things, but within it exists an abyss with no known end. The door is a passage connecting this world and the other world. I wanted to express that life and death are interconnected. Death is a path no one has taken and thus frightening, but it is also a part of life that allows us to deeply contemplate life," said the artist.

On the 3rd floor, on an old scale, lies ‘Brain (2016?2020)’ made of iron chains. The brain shape formed by the black-painted chains is astonishingly realistic. The scale’s needle points to ‘0.’ It seems to say, ‘All the worries and anxieties I have are nothing.’ The heart feels much lighter.

Seungyoung Kim, Ssulda, Desk·Chair·Stand·Trash Can·Sound·Scent, 2021. (Photo by Seongbuk Art Museum)

Inside, there is a space arranged with five pairs of tables and chairs. This is the work ‘Sweep (2021),’ which borrows from everyday spaces. The sound of sweeping with a broom, ‘ssuk-ssuk’ and ‘ssak-ssak,’ repeats. Occasionally, bird songs can be heard. A large square light in the center of the ceiling emits a bluish light, bathing the entire space in blue. The artist said, "There are times at dawn or early evening when the world is dyed entirely blue, which is my favorite time personally. I wanted people to feel emotional comfort, like an empty office after everyone has left work."

This space is also one where visitors participate. Visitors enter at a rate of five per hour, sit on chairs, and pour out their inner thoughts on paper placed on the table. Then they tear the paper and put it into a nearby trash bin. A museum official said, "It is one of the most popular works," adding, "Visitors seriously engage in dialogue with their inner selves and participate in the work, and the feedback has been positive."

Outside the museum, facing a downhill path, there is a street gallery space on the left. This place was designed in 2018 by architect Jo Seong-ryong, who utilized the terrain of Seongbuk-dong. Kim Seung-young has been exhibiting works here under the theme ‘Sound of the Wind’ since June last year. The exhibits mainly relate to the artist’s own identity.

The most eye-catching work is ‘Voice of the Citizens (2017?2021).’ It is a sculpture stacked like the Tower of Babel with 152 speakers and was selected through a citizen vote involving over 6,000 Seoul citizens. The artist said, "I wanted the voices of people of various nationalities living in Seongbuk-dong and the sounds of nature changing with the seasons to be transmitted through the speakers," adding, "The Tower of Babel myth in the Bible views language negatively, but I focused on the positive aspects."