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Rootless
My grandfather was a displaced person who escaped from the North during the Korean War. He often gathered his grandchildren to share stories of the struggles faced by refugees, his life in his hometown, and the anguish of being captured and tortured by North Korean forces.
Through his vivid recollections, I could deeply feel his longing for his hometown and the sufferings he endured. These stories made me profoundly aware of my own identity as a descendant of a displaced person.
This realization ignited a desire to learn more about Korea’s unique history and circumstances. The tragedies of displaced persons and separated families, as well as the severed legacy of traditional art and crafts, struck me as a form of “Rootless tree.”
In this context, I questioned whether modern Korean art reflects our identity or imitates other nations’ forms. At the same time, I contemplated whether the trajectory of modern and contemporary Korean art has evolved in a desirable direction.
For me, this project is more than just an artistic endeavor; it is a journey to rediscover lost roots and a tribute to remembering and mourning the pain embedded in the history of the Korean people.
Jiwon Kim, < Rootless > Installation, 2020
Jiwon Kim, < Flowing Mountain > Charcoal, Pencil, and Ink on Hanji, 174cmx38.5cm, 2020
임의 유월 | 청산 이영균
June of the Fallen by Cheongsan Lee Young-Kyun
(Excerpt from the Work Journal)
그날은 (That day,)
유월의 붉은 꽃잎이 (The crimson petals of June)
발 아래 뒹굴고 (fell beneath our feet,)
붉은 피가 되어 (turning into red blood,)
바람에 피비린내로 불어왔습니다 (their scent carried by the wind, tainted with the stench of tragedy.)
오늘은 (Today,)
장미의 붉은 꽃잎이 (the crimson petals of roses)
님 모습으로 그리움 되어 (remain as a longing image of you,)
사무치는 내 가슴에 남았습니다 (etched deeply into my heart.)
조국을 위해 (Your noble sacrifice)
산화하신 고귀하심은 (for the nation)
단상의 하얀 국화꽃으로 (endures forever, like white chrysanthemums adorning the altar,)
영원히 조국에 살아 함께하십니다 (living on eternally with the country.)
그날의 (The echoes)
비극의 소리 (of that day’s tragedy)
동토의 가슴에 묻힌 지 오래고 (have long been buried in the frozen hearts of time,)
조국은 잔인하리만큼 평화롭습니다 (while the nation now enjoys a peace so cruel in its tranquility.)
오늘은 (Today,)
편히 쉬소서 (may you rest in peace.)
하얀 국화꽃처럼 환한 햇살 되어 (May your noble spirit shine upon us,)
그 고귀하심이 즐겁게 우리에게 계십니다 (like the radiant sunlight of white chrysanthemums.)
Red blood and white bones—
their youth given to protect this land.
The choice they made deserves
our deepest respect and the most tender words.
A “peace so cruel in its tranquility”
remains on this land even now,
as silent wars continue to rage.
Yet, we must remember it again, from time to time.
Even so,
I cannot claim to fully grasp the pain of the Korean War.
I was not a direct participant in that tragedy.
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