Matrix Garden Voice of soul, blooming as the flower of light... : Eun-ju Choi > Review

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Matrix Garden 

Voice of soul, blooming as the flower of light...

Contact 

 Since when did the mankind start questioning what the world consists of? As thousands of years passed, through accumulation of experiences for survival and systematization of knowledge derived from languages, concepts like lightness and darkness; warmth and coldness; inside and outside; formation and obliteration; men and gods; holiness and worldliness; sensibility and rationality; evolution and creation were deducted under the rules of myths and legends; religion and philosophy, art and science. But has the mankind ever find the right answer to the question? Countless magicians and alchemists, religious leaders, and gifted scientists have tried to define how and what this world or this universe is formed of through encrypting or deciphering codes and symbols but to what extent had their effort reach? Human desire to reach the forbidden area, mixed with anxiety and knowing that they can never discover the whole truth, have definitely led the development of human civilization and culture; and probably this resolution continues to move forward today towards the future of this world.

 Astrophysicist named Carl Edward Sagan (1934-1996) published a book called Contact in 1985. His earlier work that brought him a worldwide recognition - Cosmos (1980) - clearly states the birth of the universe, the nature of celestial body in addition to the connection between the earth and the universe. However, Sagan wished to share with readers his thoughts and stories about the relation between the human race and the universe through Ellie Arroway, the heroine of Contact, guessing that he might have felt mere scientific description wasn't enough. His description of humanity-universe analogy to the Artist's Signature in the epilogue of Contact is very intriguing:

 "It's already here. It's inside everything. You don't have to leave your planet to find it. In the fabric of space and in the nature of matter, as in a great work of art, there is, written small, the artist's signature. Standing over humans, gods, and demons, subsuming Caretakers and Tunnel builders, there is an intelligence that antedates the universe."

 The theme of this novel is the message that unstopping investigation into the cosmos and persistent attempts that overstep human limits will eventually define the identity of the universe which in such process will help us perceive the 'human nature'. This idea inversely explains that ordinary or extraordinary, sensible or sentimental ought to have faith in one's existence above all and as true art does, ingenious self-awareness should be one's fundamentals. Such idea is what Sagan metaphorically explicates as 'Artist's Signature'.

 Young-churl Shim is an artist who has been dealing with profound subjects like humanity and religion; cosmos; life and environment. Furthermore her experimental attempts, actively employing advanced mediums along with architectural-like scaled work have been credited in the field of art. Young-churl Shim's most well-known work, <Electronic Garden> was first introduced in 1993 at Daejeon Expo. Natural elements-water, fire, stone, soil and salt-together with electronic mediums-hologram, video, computer graphic and touch screen-informed the advent of media art. Full-scale use of media presented opportunities to extensive methods of expressing her artistic view. She tried in various ways of creatively expressing her religious faith via electronic mediums. Oftentimes her arts that utilized wooden pillars, flower petals, stones, bird nests that are of the nature were harmonized with electronic sources like monitors, neon, optical fibers, and holograms which in turn demonstrated new formativeness displaying unconventional and splendid colors with lights. These characteristics guided the viewers' steps to the Garden of Eden where it bears stories of Adam and Eve; to the origin of energy that breathes life; to the altar that sparkles with God's glory, or to the mysterious world beyond universe. Based on her spiritual belief, Shim has been passionately listening to the sound of her soul that resonates with her prayers and transformed such into forms of art.

 At Shim's solo exhibition this time, we can meet the face of the artist who resembles Ellie in Contact who sacrificed herself at the lab for very long to focus all her senses and intellectual mind in hopes of detecting the unknown life forms somewhere in the universe.

 "She heard, as always, a kind of static, a continuous echoing random noise. Once, when listening to a part of the sky that included the star AC + 79 3888 in Cassiopeia, she felt she heard a kind of singing, fading tantalizingly in and out, lying just beyond her ability to convince herself that there was something really there. This was the start toward which the Voyager 1 spacecraft, now in the vicinity of the orbit of Neptune, would ultimately travel. The spacecraft carried a golden phonograph records on which were impressed greetings, pictures, and songs from Earth. Could they be sending us their music at the speed of light, while we are sending ours to them only one ten-thousandth as fast?"

 Shim's overuse of media or heightened ways of expression that were shown in her previous work, <Electronic Garden> and <Monumental Garden> are similar to that of Ellie who almost recklessly trained herself anticipating contact with the extraterrestrial life forms without certainty of when or where. This exhibition composedly and persuasively shows Shim, the artist, has been devoting immeasurable time for medium-experiments and she is facing her epic moment at the end of such lengthy persistence. As the novel Contact symbolizes in its title, when human race encounters with the cosmos and at that point of contact, the introspection of 'humanity' and 'human nature' occurs. This self-reflection is evident as Shim, through a range of electronic devices used in earlier works, has endeavored to speculate her self-theme which is now converging with the fountain of art that strives to articulate the essence of humans.

 "Art is a fight against ambiguity. You ask again and again in search of finding the answer. Truth that can't be captured and the tenacity of not wanting to possess it. Pain that can't be seen and the weakness of showing it. An artist leafs through numerous pages of dream while standing on the verge of uncertainties in hopes of reaching another dream with infinite potential."

 From the artist's note above, we can have faith that Shim's works demonstrate examining and experimenting process which seek out the essence of human and art. The theme, <Matrix Garden> was chosen because Shim's artistic sense and long years of creative working experiences, combined with her profound self-themes like humanity, universe, and life would help her cross through numerous junctions that lead toward diffusion of her formative mind beyond our expectation.

Matrix Garden

 "Concepts haven't changed but it's only that the garden is keep evolving. I believe in the theory of Creation but when it comes to art, I agree with the idea of Evolutionism. Seeing that life forms adapt to the surrounding environment and undergo functional or structural changes, art too, should continue to evolve. To me, evolution of art means this: It never stays stagnant but constantly transforms and ought to be improved in whatever means."

 As mentioned, <Matrix Garden> which evolved from <Electronic Garden> and <Monumental Garden> indicates arrival of the new developmental stage. Matrix structure, as commonly known, is a false reality within cyber space created by numerous combinations of the axes and axles. Most frequently and mainly referred postmodern philosophy of Jean Baudrillard's Simulacrum and Simulation concept states that Simulation is the creation of the real through conceptual or "mythological" models that have no connection or origin in reality. Whereas Simulacrum is something having merely the

form or appearance of a certain thing, without possessing its substance or proper qualities and that people in modern days are living in its delusion. This idea was taken and visualized in a movie, The Matrix, directed by Andy Wachowski and Lana Wachowski in 1999. The movie's theme, 'What is reality and what is virtual reality?' throws us a profound question, 'Who is the true Creator of the world?' while causing a sensation that made us to rethink the borderline between the reality and fabrication. This philosophical insight is related to that of Taoism's <The Butterfly Dream> metaphor. The following is an excerpt from Chuang-Tzu's Discussion on Making All Things Equal:

 "Once Chuang-Tzu dreamt he was a butterfly, a butterfly flitting and fluttering around, happy with himself and doing as he pleased. He didn't know he was Chuang-Tzu. Suddenly he woke up and there he was, solid and unmistakable Chuang-Tzu. But he didn't know if he was Chuang-Tzu who had dreamt he was a butterfly, or a butterfly dreaming he was Chuang-Tzu."

 <The Butterfly Dream> comparison essentially suggests Taoism's 'what is so itself' philosophy which emphasizes all things in the universe originates from one body to gain absolute perception. Distinguishing between the unreality and reality is all but pointless in the world of 'all-things-in-one. In order to deliver the message that human perception can leap up to more profound level, Shim chose <Matrix Garden> to be the theme of her exhibition. The concept of Matrix, symbolizing more active development and progression of formativeness, presents how Shim's work evolved from her earlier pieces with a much wider scope.

 The exhibition's main art work was triggered by <Sound of Scape>. For this piece, Shim used smooth-surfaced. stainless steel spheres that can be held in one hand. With these sphere beads Shim focused on the shape, texture, and silvery color of spheres that befit a symbolic material representing today's minimalized society and at the same time, having flexibility to symbolize the 'micro-universe'. Additionally, each sphere symbolizes a 'unit' which implicates the concept of infinite replication in a digitalized era. With a cube that looks like a phone booth lets enough room for one person to enter and move, Shim had set a sphere-beaded-boundary between the inside and the outside in addition to laying a mirror on the floor within to give the illusion of extended space and moreover, a structure which looks like an upside-down Tower of Babel was installed at the center of the cube's ceiling. A curious viewer would surely enter through the walls of sphere-beads and gain a collective experience that involves seeing, hearing, and touching. The viewer would not only see himself but would also encounter reflections of the surrounding area on the surface of even-faced spheres. One can also hear the clear and clean sound as spheres softly collide together while feeling soft yet cold sensation when passing through the wall. The beaded fence which is draped from top to bottom also serves as the border-line between matter and mind, intension and extension, dystopia and nirvana. Through the act of putting oneself inside this unique space, one can perceive 'self, belonged in world' and/or 'self, belonged in universe'.

 Shim more actively incorporates the spheres from <Sound of Scape> to her solo exhibition at Hankuk Art Museum which thus gave birth to diversified versions of three-dimensional artwork that are full of implications with the spheres being the basic unit. One looks like a waterfall with fresh water pouring down from the top; one boasts itself with soaring wings, and one flutters its lovely flower petals. Within the Matrix Garden, each creation well defines the title and theme of the show. Allowing free crossovers of the axes and axles of the Matrix structure, the integration or disintegration of barriers occurs- between life and death; love and confliction; lust and conviction - accordingly attracting the viewers into Shim's world. The viewing point of her works isn't limited to a mere optical appreciation but intended to help them form an artistic consensus themselves by letting them be a unit or the main part of an art piece. The exhibition literally shows that her reflective themes of human mind are no longer hidden within her but can be evolved and be bettered through human interactions.

 <Matrix Garden> has introduction-development-climax-conclusion stages. At the front yard of Hankuk Art Museum, Shim installed a sort of a gate that suggests that it's an 'entrance' to the Matrix structure. What looks like a shipping container has been artistically converted to a ship that takes the viewers to a different world. The ship's surface is smooth and metallic which gives the illusion of a space craft taking its voyage. But once inside, the viewers will realize they are put inside a maternity space that births art. A container that's been decorated with spheres and LED lightings, the viewers will touch and feel the metal balls and experience changes of inner or outer view with an escalating anticipation of what comes next. Moreover, Shim installed pipe tubes that go around the container so the viewers can verbally communicate with other visitors of the show. The design like this one explicates that 'communication' will be dealt importantly at this exhibition.

 Shim used her previous work for the introduction stage of the exhibition. For instance, flower-looking pieces decorated with gems from <Monumental Garden> series are displayed in the exhibition hall 1 and they represent the pre-Genesis chaos and human lusts. After passing these works, the viewers will encounter the neon displays of what look like pictograms or signs laid on black circular plates which act as a memento of Shim's religious faith. Following the hologram and plasma images that fantastically depict the profound and mysterious harmony of the Genesis, the pieces that resemble an eye can be seen. They signify 'soul's eye' which is the artist's confession of pursuing the truth. At the exhibition room 3, a kind of shrine is realized. This work also is a re-interpretation of <Monumental Garden> series which can be compared to the Church of light established upon the rock of solid faith, burning flames pronouncing fearlessness. Glass pillars emitting bright colors converge into one crystal clear light through a technical arrangement thus, providing an instant sublimation of human sufferings and limits.

 The climax of the exhibition is positioned at room 4. <Blossoming Halo> raining down from the ceiling, Shim completed a monumental art that symbolizes a heightened mental state. Articulately connected metal spheres resemble clustered grapes, with this; Shim expresses sublimation of her pain and suffering in a dreamlike state. Optical fibers among the spheres, stretching out like tentacles, release brilliant and pure lights, induce a 'soul's purification'. The climatic state of room 4 is relayed to the room 5 which holds an art that reminds a wing with each sphere hanging down from the ceiling one by one. The artist's intention is that the visitors would lie down on top of a mirror that's laid on the bottom right below the wing to see their reflections as well as have a meditative time. Through reflections, the visitors will gain a chance to once again be innocent and reason the human nature within the timeless space.

Geometry

At the last part of the exhibition, observers will come across very simplified yet symbolic and meaningful geometric shapes. Geometrically ordered figure that is a combination of three circles, a union of two equilateral triangles called the Star of David, an octagon with points of eight triangles meeting in the center indicate Shim's formative concept is reverted to its basic and is representing the universal life, order, and the shapes it take.

 It isn't difficult to read the artist's intention of distinctions and integrity through three circles. Also with a star that's said to be the symbol of David's shield, we can see Shim's religious belief. Lastly, an octagon summarizes 'wholeness' and 'universe' and portrays Shim's willingness to concisely express her world as an artist. Shim's attempt to summarize her artistic view using geometric shapes represents that Shim stands in the starting line once again to reach a higher level which is the reason why her next step is so anticipated. The resonating sound from pure souls strives to let the buds blossom again as the light of flowers.

Eun-ju Choi

Source : Korea Art Museum, Sep 2012