The Artist Statement : 작가노트

sieunsation — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:41:27 +0900

디자인듀오 고운시은은 홍은예술창작센터의 입주작가로써 디자인과 예술의 중간 지점에서 작업을 풀어나가고자 하였다. 대중과의 호흡이 중요한 디자인과 대중보다 앞서야하는 예술의 경계점을 찾던 우리는 화이트큐브처럼 갇히고 제한된 개념이 아닌 쉽고 단순하게 접근가능한 개념을 찾고자 하였다. 야외 버스정류장이나 카페와 같은 특수한 공간에서 사람들에게 익숙한 단어인 <EAT, PLAY, LOVE(먹고, 놀고, 사랑하라)>라는 전시 타이틀을 통해 그래픽시트, 타이포블럭, 아크릴 입체포스터 등의 다양한 방법으로 대중과의 접근을 시도하였다.

The Critique of the Project : 평론 <먹고 놀고 사랑하라>

sieunsation — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:36:09 +0900

This text is not a critique of works of art, nor is it an evaluation of design prototypes. It is a continuation of thoughts initiated by a conversation with design duo kou.j & sieun.k about the project “Eat, Play, Love” 1), which took place at the end of a residency at Seoul Art Space Hongeun. Initially, my main motivation was to find out more about the background and concept of their work. It turned out though that this conversation was rather the starting point for a number of questions about the relation between design and art in kou.j & sieun.k’s project, and how this relation affected the working process.

Based on the project title’s letters, “Eat, Play, Love”, kou.j & sieun.k began a series of works which were realized in various formats like graphic installation, space design, scratch cards with hidden messages, a roomlight installation, lamp design, and posters. Given the fact that designers usually work with a concrete briefing in mind, what stood out to me the most is the fact that the least common denominator, the use of letters, seemed at first sight to be the only connecting point between the works. Conceptually, the series as such looked like a loose collection of ideas which didn’t necessarily connect to each other. Since the series developed over the course of several months, I assumed that the explanation for this discrepancy was to be found in the work process itself, beginning with the initial motivation for working as an artist-in-residence and leading to different encounters during the time of the residency. What happens to a designer who chooses to work under the conditions of an artist, surrounded by artists, in the context of an institutional art residency program?

The way the terms “designer” and “artist” are used here implies that design and art are completely separated spheres. As a matter of fact the conditions and institutional structures in which design and art are produced have been different from each other since the beginning of (Western) modernity. On the other hand there have been numerous movements negotiating the two fields, or what they were at that time. The Arts&Crafts Movement, Art Nouveau, Bauhaus, and more recently, what is known under the label of design art, are probably the most well-known under them 2). What they have in common is that they had to negotiate the pressure of the logic of commodification in a capitalist society. This is especially true for design, for which the ultimate goal is the production of a commodity, be it a household product, furniture, a building, or visual content like graphics? always in interaction with and following the briefing of the client.

Coming from a design background, one major motivation for kou.j & sieun.k was to take a rest from these kinds of constraints inherent to the work of a designer. Since art appears as a sphere of relative freedom of expression compared to design’s imperative of functionality, looking for retreat in an art residency was a logical step.

Interestingly, the desire to break away from being a producer of objects to become an (artist) subject who is able to realize ideas with more freedom has led to new questions about the conditions, conventions and forms of communication in the art world. The value and status of the work produced, viewers’interaction patterns with the artworks, or accessibility are some of them.

It takes an explorative and courageous spirit to move outside of one’s comfort zone, which is exactly what kou.j & sieun.k did. The way they approach crucial issues like presentation form, and the ones mentioned above, is much influenced by a designer’s thinking. Especially in the context of the residency, I can see how this affects their expectations towards the criteria their works should match. A democratic and open mode of access, touchability, and simplicity are only some of them. Why is it not allowed to touch art? How can art be designed so it is understandable for anybody?

Now, thinking back to the conversation with kou.j & sieun.k, it becomes clear that the key to their concept is not only to be found in the works themselves but especially in the playful process of reflecting questions like these. Their works are a starting point for exploring the inherent logics of each field, the rules, limitations, but also the possibilities that come with them. Questioning set rules will always create tensions, and I can imagine that in the future more questions and challenges will arise along the way. I am looking forward to see which conceptual choices kou.j & sieun.k will make to tackle them, and how these will show in future works.

Udo Lee (Artist Director, Platoon Kunsthalle)

1) The project title is a variation of the movie title “Eat, Pray, Love”, a film based on a book by American writer Elizabeth Gilbert. The film, based on the author’s life, tells the story of a middle-aged middle-class woman who is dissatisfied with her life and begins a journey to find herself.

2) For more information about the relation between art and design in these movements see: Hal Foster, ‘Design and Crime’, Design and Crime (and other Diatribes), London: Verso 2002, 13-26

※ 다음은 영어 원문에서 일부 내용을 발췌하여 정리한 글이다.

이 글은 예술작업에 대한 비평이나 디자인 작업에 대한 평가이기 보다, 홍은예술창작센터에서의 레지던시를 종료하는 시점에서 디자인 듀오 ‘고운시은’의 작업에 대하여 나눈 이야기를 토대로 한 생각의 연장이다.
처음 포트폴리오와 웹페이지를 통해 고운시은의 작업 ‘Eat, Play, Love’를 마주했을 때 나는 그들이 작업 제목을 차용한 영화 ‘Eat, Play, Love’와의 연계성이 무엇일까 궁금증이 일었다. 더불어 각기 일상적인 단어인 ‘Eat’, ‘Play’, ‘Love’를 제목으로 선택한 이유는 무엇인지, 작업을 통해 표현하고자 한 바는 무엇인지에 대해서도 호기심이 발동했다. 그러나 작업 자체에서 그 해답을 찾기는 어려웠으며, 일반적으로 디자이너들은 클라이언트가 요구하는 분명한 콘셉트를 기본으로 작업을 진행한다는 사실을 염두에 두고 접근해 보아도 역시 그 답은 알 수 없었다.

하지만, 이후 홍은예술창작센터에서 고운시은과 이야기를 나누면서 나는 그들의 작업에 담겨 있는‘고민’과 ‘질문’들을 마주하게 되었고, 이러한 현상은‘디자인’과‘예술’이라는 각각의 분야가 지닌 한계를 넘어서고자 하는 과정에서 자연스럽게 발생하는 것임을 이해하게 되었다. 디자인 듀오인 고운시은은 수개월간 예술가 레지던시에서 작업을 하고 그에 속한 예술가들과 교류하면서 ‘디자인과 예술이 각기 지닌 특성은 무엇인가?’ ‘이들의 교집합은 무엇인가?’ ‘디자인을 기반으로 한 본인들은 작업을 어떻게 풀어내야 할까?’와 같은 질문에 대하여 끊임없이 질문하고 답을 구하는 과정에 있었다.

물론 이러한 ‘디자인’과 ‘예술’의 속성 및 관계에 대하여 고민하고 질문하며 경계를 넘나들고자 했던 시도는 과거에도 존재했다. 근대 이후 아르누보, 바우하우스, 미술공예운동 등을 통해 ‘디자인’과 ‘예술’은 각기 지닌 특성, 구조, 논리, 표현방식의 다름을 존중하면서 서로 교류하였다. 고운시은은 이러한 기존의 시도들을 연구하는 동시에, 각 분야가 지닌 한계를 넘어서 ‘누구나 편하게 마주하고 쉽게 이해하면서 만져도 되는 작업’을 만들고자 하였다.

명확하고 뚜렷하게 다른 속성을 지닌 두 분야가 만날 때 긴장tension의 발생은 불가피하다. 이러한 상황에서 고운시은이 이미 형성된 관념, 속성, 논리에 어떻게 대처하고 이를 극복하면서 발전해 나갈지 기대된다.

1) 라이언 머피가 감독한 영화로 ‘안정적인 직장, 번듯한 남편, 맨해튼의 아파트까지 모든 것이 완벽해 보이는 서른 한 살의 저널리스트 리즈가 언젠가부터 이게 정말 자신이 원했던 삶인지 의문을 품게 되고, 결국 진짜 자신을 되찾고 싶어져 모든 것을 뒤로 한 채 무작정 일 년간의 여행을 떠나 겪게 되는 에피소드들을 담고 있다.

the Annual book of ArtSpace HongEun : 홍은예술창작센터 백서

sieunsation — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 15:00:31 +0900

Published by SFAC (Seoul Foundation Arts And Culture) / Designed by MK Communication / 25. December. 2011
the record of a year in ArtSpace HongEun as the 1st residence artists, kou.j & sieun.k

Science in Cooking

sieunsation — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 18:30:18 +0900

Illustration / 2012
Client : <ChunJae Education Magazine>

This illustration in the magazine is for the elementary school students.
This icons illustrate the steps of the cooking. There are 8 kinds of food. It helps to understand the theme of topic easily with simple images.

February. 2012

Fast-artwork for T-shirt Design

sieunsation — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:15:04 +0900

front

back

This little artwork was for my friend, Martin Fluch's request to make his own designed T-shirt for his friend.
The photos are based on the 1987 vinyl cover of the album "I'm the one (for your love tonight)" by Roy Ayers.
It was great experience to share my talent with others. :)

Here's the application. :)

M's friend, David in this photo. thanks. :)

SBS TV Programme : 이웃집웬수

sieunsation — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 18:45:58 +0900

Photo Baby Book ver.2
October. 2010

Calligraphy Magazine , which means 'dictation' in Korean

sieunsation — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 16:51:05 +0900

October. 2010 / vol.12 / 생일축하합니다 (Happy Birthday)
'Good Calligraphy for this month', calligraphy and the interview.

September. 2010 / vol.11 / 아자! 오늘도 파이팅입니다 (Hey, Go for it!)
calligraphy.

Deco Travel World-Map : 데코 트래블 월드-맵

sieunsation — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 04:49:36 +0900

Product : Indigo / Design : SiEunsation / 2010
Set - Mint(paper map) + Peach(PVC sheet) + Sticker, Set - Candy(paper map) + Water(PVC sheet) + Sticker
(with 3M tapes in a PP box)

Paper_1000 x 520(mm), PVC sheet_950 x 550(mm), Sticker_60 x 55(mm) x 20 pieces

Have you ever imagined the map which you can draw or decorate whatever you want on freely?
This is "The map" which includes a piece of protection sheet with. Not only the PVC sheet but also the paper map are beautiful as thier each design.
Also, as we provide the decoration stickers with, people who don't have talent in decoration can easily decorate with these stickers.
Enjoy 'Deco travel World-map' with variety ways!

Stationery Magazine

sieunsation — Fri, 17 Sep 2010 15:43:31 +0900

Jun. 2010 / vol.2 / Article & Photo_sieunsation, Edit_yoon mihyeon
'SiEunsation's Working Story'

Card Calendar & Trump Card_Alice in Wonderland (Non Sale) : 앨리스 카드캘린더 & 트럼프카드

sieunsation — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:58:31 +0900

Non Sale Product (purchaging gift)
Illustrate : Kim, MinJi / Design : SiEunsation / Paper

sieun+sensation=SIEUNSATION