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CONNECTIONS CLOSE TO HOME // WORDS BY RYANWAGGONER
seoul-based artist Kim Jongku spent two weeks in-residence at the Spencer Museum of Art in February.
After acclimating to his new environment, Jongku began to create a large-scale painting. He manufactured his own tools to apply iron powder, which he used to write his calligraphy and lines of poetry on the canvas.
In his conversation with the canvas, Jongku was very physically involved with the work, often standing on and running across the canvas as he laid down the calligraphy. Jongku continued to apply additional layers of poetry until he felt his conversation with the canvas resolved itself.
Guests watched as Jongku created this work, which distorts viewers' perception of scale through the use of closed circuit cameras and a live feed projected on the wall. The calligraphy that makes up the mobile landscape gives the impression of a mountainous terrain, which conflicts with the image of people walking past the work.
Photo by Chris Bronson
On February 25, Jongki gave an artist talk at the Spencer Museum of Art. Immediately following his lecture, he created his mobile landscape installation, enjoyed the process from start to finish. His mobile landscape consists of a projected video feed of his iron powder calligraphy, which creates the image of a mountainous
Jongku's piece can be viewed at the Spencer Museum of Art, 1301 Mississippi St., through July 25.
Photo by Ryan Waggoner
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After applying a layer of calligraphy and a layer of dripping, Jongku added a second layer of calligraphy in his conversation with the canvas. Jongku spoke of how at a certain point in his work, the conversation between himself and the canvas became more of an argument. Upon completion, the conflict was resolved.