National Museum of Nairobi, Kenya
National Museum of Nairobi, Kenya
Arirang (273cm x 116.8cm) acrylic on canvas, pure gold leaf, mother of pearl 2023
The Spring Day Goes By, 2024, video, 4min. Directed by Oh Myung Hee.
The Spring Day Goes By, 2024,
hemp cloth soil powder, mother of pearl, lacquer, pure gold leaf, (90cm x 55cm)
Flower That Understand Words. (194cm x 390cm) acrylic on canvas, pure gold leaf, mother of pearl, photo print 2023.
Above: Ganggangsulae (Moondance),2023,
pieces of wood, pure gold leaf, hemp cloth,
earthly dust, mother of pearl,lacquer, acrylic,
diameter 130cm
Left: Ganggangsulae (Moondance),2023,
pieces of wood, pure gold leaf, hemp cloth,
earthly dust, mother of pearl, lacquer
diameter 70cm
Ganggangsulae (Moondance),2024
pieces of wood, hemp cloth,
soil powder, mother of pearl, lacquer
diameter 130cm
Above: Ganggangsulae (Moondance),2023
pieces of wood, hemp cloth, soil powder, mother of pearl, lacquer
diameter 130cm
Top: Ganggangsulae (Moondance),2023
pieces of wood, gold leaf, colour leaf, hemp cloth, soil powder, mother of pearl, lacquer, diameter 180cm
Right: Ganggangsulae (Moondance),2023
pieces of wood, gold leaf, hemp cloth, soil powder, mother of pearl, lacquer, acrylic, diameter 130cm
The Spring Day Goes By, 2024, video, 4min. Directed by Oh Myung Hee.
작가노트
The Spring Day Goes By
이번 전시 작품은 한국 여인의 이야기를 해 나가던 중 기생에 대한 이야기를 꺼내봅니다.
기생은 조선 시대로부터 시작되어 근대에 이르기까지 궁중과 민간에서 춤과 노래, 시와 그림으로 사람들의 마음을 사로잡는 예인일 뿐만 아니라,
때로는, 사회적 변화나 문화를 반영하고 선동하면서 정치적 사건에서 중요한 영향을 미치기도 했습니다.
이들은 자신들의 예술을 통해 사회적 한계를 극복하고, 여성으로서의 정체성을 찾아갔으며 그들의 삶과 신념을 담아낸 하나의 예술 장르로 자리 잡기도 했습니다.
전시 작품 중 비디오 작품 안에 들어있는 음악 중에는 조선시대 명기로 자존심 강하고 그 재주가 특출했던 기생 황진이의 시를 노래로 만든 음악을 사용하였고 나머지 두 곡도 작자 미상이지만 시조의 내용이 남녀상열지사를 다룬 점 등을 미루어 보아 기생들이 지은 시조인 것으로 생각이 됩니다.
또한 일제강점기 때 한국 기생들을 엽서에 넣어 상품화하였던 것을 작품에 담았습니다.
그들은 어려운 시대 속에서도 예술을 통해 삶의 의미를 찾고, 희망을 전달했던 강인한 여성들도 많았습니다.
그리하여 전시 작품 중 ‘The spring day goes by(봄날은 간다)’는 겨울의 혹독한 추위를 이겨내고 봄에 꽃을 피우는 매화나 벚꽃들을 통해 희망과 아름다움을 표현하는 데 중점을 두었습니다.
전시되는 작품들 중에는 일제강점기 때 기생들의 사진들을 작품의 중앙에 배치하고 그들의 사진 위에는 화려한 벚꽃과 매화가 그려져 있는데 이들 꽃들은 짧은 순간 피어있지만, 그 순간의 아름다움과 강렬함은 우리의 마음에 깊은 인상을 남깁니다.
이는 기생들이 예술 활동을 통해 남긴 흔적과도 많이 닮아 있습니다.
기생들의 사진과 벚꽃과 매화의 조화는 그들의 삶이 비록 고통과 역경과 멸시로 가득했지만, 그 속에서도 희망과 아름다움을 찾아내고 표현하였다는 메시지를 전달합니다.
그들 중에는 매우 강인한 정신과 예술적 열정을 가진 여성들도 많았고 그들이 남긴 예술 작품들 중에는 현대를 사는 우리에게도 큰 위로와 영감을 주고 있기 때문입니다.
Artist's note
The spring day goes by
Oh Myung Hee
For this exhibition, I would like to focus on gisaeng or courtesans as part of my stories of Korean women. First appearing during the Joseon Dynasty and active until modern times, gisaeng were not only professional artists capturing the hearts of people with song and dance as well as poetry and drawings both in the court and among the general public, but at times, they brought about social change, cultural efflorescence as well as exerting substantial influence on political events. Through their art, they overcame social limitations, discovered their identity as women and firmly implanted their art as a genre in its own right filled with their life and beliefs.
The music in the video works in the exhibition was composed using the lyrics from a poem written by Hwang Jin-yi, probably the most famous gisaeng of the Joseon dynasty renowned not only for her beauty but also for her strong pride and exceptional talent. The composers of the other two songs are unknown but in view of the fact that the sijo or traditional poem is a love song about a man and a woman, it was more than likely written by a gisaeng.
During Japanese colonial rule, the gisaeng were featured in postcards for sale and this was also included in my works. In difficult times, they were strong women trying to find the meaning of life through art and conveying hope.
As such, ‘The Spring Day Goes By’ focused on expressing hope and beauty through spring flowers such as cherry and plum blossoms which have surmounted the harsh cold winter. Among the works exhibited, there are photos of gisaeng during Japanese colonial rule which have been placed front and center; above these photos are splendid cherry and plum blossoms. These flowers are ephemeral but during that single moment in time, they are beautiful and leave a strong, lasting impression on our heart.
These are very similar to the traces left behind by the gisaeng through their artistic activities.
The photos of the gisaeng blended with the cherry and plum blossoms show that though their lives were filled with pain, adversity and scorn, they nevertheless found hope and beauty to express.
Among them, there were many who had a strong will and determination coupled with artistic passion, and the artistic pieces that they left behind are of great consolation and inspiration to us living in modern times.
