Sik-gu

2020
single channel audio installation

“Sik-gu” is a single channel audio installation, created during the two week residency of the 24/X young artists collective. In korean, “sik-gu” means the people who share a meal together like a family. As the title already indicates, sharing a table and eating together is an intimate moment. Reflecting on the theme of intimacy in the residency, Sik-gu recreates the tea times where Hyewon had an intimate conversation with three of the other artists. Instead of a person, an audio speaker is sitting in the chair opposite to where the audience will sit. The audio consists of the three people talking about their story but because it is chopped and distorted, the audience can only partially understand it. The audience can hear the voice and part of the conversation but they will inevitably fail to fully understand since the story is composed without the context. Whether the audience relates to the story or not, three people are telling their own story and enjoying tea times. It resembles our communication. Do we really communicate with the person in front of us? Can we convince them that we fully understand what the other person is talking about? Even when one is assured it was an intimate moment, how can one truly know whether it was a two-way communication or just a monologue?

“DIE ANGST EINES ZERLACHTEN SEELENLEVENS”
@ Krudebude, Leipzig, Germany