Image descriptions for a seed / crossing water below
EDITING THIS AT THE MOMENT, WILL BE UPDATED SOON!
Part I
Opening Text:
How we exchange one form of unknowing for another:
The clouds had fallen low that evening. They fell in half-greys, touching the tops of trees, as if they had been pulled out in wisps from within the trees themselves, their boughs swept against the darkening frames of the sky. We watched the trees, their green shadows pouring into the same shapes, the same darkening pools, seeping into each other until something tore beneath, their depths shrouded by their movement, their blackish-greens that filled and filled, without end.
At first the trees spilled in masses along the arcs of the road, their smells close enough to breathe. We felt near, enveloped in the arms of something strange and immense, deeper than we could imagine, and our unknowing gave us ease. But as we drove on, the trees beginning to recede, we felt ourselves returning to our narrower channels, the bodies returning to definite lines, trunks, leaves, as spaces between embossed against the night, and I felt my chest slowly cave, constrict at this re-embodied air, the lands around us fallen bare before us. The trees now sparsely populated the fields, and the sky - having replaced the clouds - descended with all its immensity toward us, a deluge upon our eyes like a falling body. I felt suddenly surrounded by all that was no longer there, the arborescent shadows and blurs, once more untethered and exposed...
Yet at the fell of the sky I thought of you and remembered. With a grin on my cheeks I did not shut my eyes -- I opened my lips and swallowed the endless supply —
Images & Text/Captions:
(1) Photo Diptych
Left (L): Corean Person wearing facemask stands in woods behind long, diagonal tree trunk. Trunk conceals part of their expression, yet their gaze is direct and unwavering. Woody scene composed of olive greens, muted browns, macaroni yellows. Their feet are concealed by tall grass; one small camera hangs just above their jeans; and on their wrist are two jade bead bracelets.
Right (R): Corean woman stands looking off and away from us, third of her face / most of her body covered by large tree trunk. This snowy winter scene has pink tones. Wearing cream coat and striped scarf, she stands flat against her surroundings, her gaze distant and removed. Someone else’s shadow (perhaps photographer’s) overlays bottom tree trunk
Text: “한국같아”
Ye Seo & Kyung
Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen (Potawatomi), Myaamia, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) land, 2020
(2) Photo Diptych
L: Two short-haired Corean persons look directly at us against a meadow of trim, dimly green grass. One has curlier hair, smiling awkwardly. They wear white blouse with frocked collar and fitted plaid cardigan. One looks at us with soft, closed-mouth smile and hugs the other from behind. They wear beige canvas jacket with sleeves rolled up to elbows.
R: Two Corean people up-close, and we cannot see either of their faces. One wears bright, straight-out-of-paint-tube orange hoodie, their hair cropped short. They are leaning their face into another person’s back, this other person wearing lightly textured, cream henley shirt. They both wear matching silver conch hoops in their ears. Behind them is beige-toned wallpaper, covered in pink and violet floral patterns.
(3) Landscape Photo
Two large slabs of concrete or otherwise man-made rock (grey and weathered) sit in unknown body of tremoring water. Between these two slabs form a triangular shaped opening. One small candle floats on water inside this crevice. In front of these slabs lies another candle, this one almost capsized but still aflame.
Text: Grief is an opening
Photographer undisclosed
“Somewhere outside Seoul,” 1983
(4) Five Photos, Diptych + Triptych
L 1: Two Corean persons, one embracing another. Same persons from right photo in (2), but not as close-up, so you can see their faces and more of the floral wallpaper. Expression of person in orange hoodie still concealed, but other person is shown wearing dark red lipstick and smiling, their expression mid-laugh, gently blurred by motion. They each have one hand on bulb of shutter release cable.
R 1: Two Corean persons with short, curly hair are grinning as they fool around in what looks like public transport. One person wearing tinted aviator glasses leans forward from their seat and holds the other’s face against their chair and by their chin, laughing. It is dark and raining outside; bus windows wet, glimmering.
L 2: Corean man stands erect with his arm outstretched, gun in hand. He is dressed in South Corea’s military wear, in ambiguous empty landscape, pole erect behind him. Couple other military persons stand farther behind him.
Center 2: Corean person wearing glasses, disposable mask, and oversized black jacket looks away from us as their medium format camera faces us directly. They are photographing themself through mirror reflection. Their binder peeks beneath their black shirt and is in focus. Behind them, in background: bathroom door, fire alarm, metal hand dryer.
R 2: Monochrome portrait of small Corean boy dressed in cowboy outfit, toy gun in each hand. An awkward playful expression on his face, he stands outside in front of bare fence with bramble-like foliage behind it.
Text: Inheritance
Kyung & undisclosed members of their family
Bottom panel, left to right: Southern Corea; SAIC bathroom; Cabrini-Green, public housing project demolished in the 90’s, the latter two on Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen (Potawatomi), Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) and Myaamia land
(5) Landscape Photo
Beige and tan mountains with hard shadows and large, grand rock formations. Behind these mountains are some settlements and buildings, more hills and forests, then, beyond that, ocean. Small Person sits on cliff outlook that protrudes from bottom of photo frame.
(6) Square Photo
Tree trunk lies horizontally across image, large crater in its center with sharp wood piece sticking out of it. In front of this log are grass cluttered with leaves, muted mint greens and browns. Behind this log are more branches and smaller tree parts, muddy dirt, as well as edges to green bog, sprinkled with leaves.
(7) Landscape Photo
Field of glowing, wheat-like grass in foreground. Behind them, gradients of brown eventually become dark violets and bluish-blacks, foliage of hills behind. All details are quite sharp, even the dark trees behind sunny field in front.
Text: Han Gang, in Winter
Photographer Undisclosed
Namyangju, 2019
(8) Landscape Photo
Corean woman with vivid red blazer, black cowboy hat, and printed blue & white collar shirt stands against a vast field of yellow flowers. Behind her, in the distance, are blue-tinted mountains. She looks off to the side, donning an expression of content, her left hand raised slightly to grasp field flowers around her.
(9) Photo Dipytch
L: Corean person wearing salmon and white plaid shirt looks directly at us and sneers playfully. They carry glass coke with two straws and seem to be standing on some boat, blurred shores and trees behind them.
R: Wearing all black and white converse shoes, Corean man sits on white cabinet in kitchen. He has one hand on knee, another hand raised to below his eye, mimicking tears or crying. He looks directly at us with playful, moping expression. In his kitchen: condiments on wooden cabinet; white stove and oven; single bright green pan on stove; black reusable grocery bag hanging off his countertop.
Text: “How should I pose? Should I be sad?”
Seung Kyun & Kyung
Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen (Potawatomi), Myaamia, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) land, 2020
(10) Four Photos, Two Diptychs
L 1: Corean person wearing round glasses, Led Zeppelin t-shirt, and jeans looks directly at us, leaning their arms against their couch as they smile. Tattooed on their forearm are two women in hanbok. Person also wears silver nose ring and necklace. Behind them are two doors -- one closed, one ajar.
R 1: Corean woman grins directly at us wearing striped pink-and-white crewneck sweater with cartoon cats patched in its center. They wear hot pink lipstick, their bangs styled into off-center curls. They stand against what looks like mirrors panels, their reflection showing slightly behind them.
L 2: Corean woman wearing green puffy coat and jeans lies sprawled out in bed of fresh, fluffy snow. They seem to be giggling, their hand raised to their mouth. It is nighttime, as their photographer used flash to illuminate them.
R 2: With bright cream-orange window light, same person from Image 1 lies full-body across their beige couch. One hand tremors atop couch back, other hand resting on couch besides their body, relaxed. Their chin is raised, and half their face dips into window light as they laugh.
Text: “You know I was into girls when I was your age.”
Eunae and Kyung
Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen (Potawatomi), Myaamia, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) land, 2020
(11) Landscape Photo
Sepia toned archival of Corean family. Many adults and children stand or sit in formal positions and garbs in front of traditional Corean housing and screen doors with grids. Sitting by them are ceremonial foods -- a banquet -- on short wooden tables and straw, wood, or otherwise weaved mats. Main family in its center, head of household wears black winter coat and sits in front of tables, his children and wife surrounding him. Archival image is mounted on tan matted surface.
(12) Landscape Photo
Pink tinted archival of a young Corean child dressed in yellow coat & bucket hat playing with their grandmother, their grandmother holding up car tire as she grins. The sunlight is soft, their expressions carefree. Other children and women stand in the field, children wearing yellow tops, women dressed in outfits ranging from contemporary floral tops & trousers to white hanbok.
(13) Landscape Photo
Beige tinted archival of family in downtown city, buildings with many windows and trim lawn behind them. Family made up of father, mother, and three children, two boys and one girl. Girl wears orange dress; boys wear violet and red suit jackets respectively, though youngest boy looks noticeably unhappy. Father wears black suit and stands stiffly while mother wearing printed coat holds more relaxed smile.
(14) Square Photo
Field of tall, soft grass; many gradations of yellows, browns, and brownish-oranges. In its center lies one strip of particularly illuminated grass, slightly brighter than the rest. Much is in focus, details sharp - as if you can touch it.
Text: “I resented the contentment of the fields”
Photographer undisclosed
Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen (Potawatomi), Myaamia, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) land, 2020
(15) Photo Diptych
L: Corean person wearing forest green sweater, striped blue trousers, red docs, and blue bandanna sits criss cross on concrete platform by lake. They look directly at us, their head resting gently on their hand. Thin shadows of branches fall across her face, her hair brushed lightly by wind, background waters receding behind her.
R: Corean person wearing striped maroon and white collar shirt with jeans and sneakers sits by water with steps and tree behind them. Their forearms rest on both knees as they look directly at us, their expression still and unreadable. The light diffuses into soft haze around them.
Text: Three Springs / 삼춘
Shan and kyung
on Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen (Potawatomi), Myaamia, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) land, 2021
(16) Square Photo
A small, red-leaved tree with curled trunk stands amidst a woody area of much taller, bare trees. Beneath these trees are reedy plants and dried grass, of warm browns, the ground also wearing remnants of snow. Cloudless skies are blurred softly with a cream-blue hue, the surrounding air dense with fog.
(17) Cropped Photo
Cropped version of (10). In focus now are some food in image, 3 conical bottles of drink, many grim and serious expressions from children and men. Two men in particular. stand out, seated in front wearing white, holding musical instruments. Next to them is another person dressed in white, carrying drum in lap, yet his face has been ripped out, torn so cleanly that you can see tan material mounted beneath photograph.
(18) Square Photo
Cream-yellow window-blind strips of light against walls. Two people sit against this light, their faces flat and completely obscured by shadow. One wears wrinkled white shirt; another wears glasses. Glints of one orange snack bag sits between them.
Text: “안 보인다”
Photographer/Year Undisclosed
on Piscataway land
(19) Square Photo
Same Corean person in white henley in front of beige and violet floral background from (2) and (4). They are alone this time, their expression slightly playful as they wear closed-mouth smile and look in a direction slightly above us. Their gaze feels reciprocated in their look, as if they met eyes with someone we do not see.
Part II
Images:
(20) Photo Diptych
L: Blurry image of two Corean persons standing on rocks by a pond. One skips across the rocks and has their back toward us as they wear blue shirt, jeans, and tan knapsack. The other looks at us directly, but their expression is hazy. They have long brown hair and wear loose white shirt & jeans. In front of these two mid-movement are willow tree branches blowing gently with wind.
R: Corean person sits on edge of path in front of lily pond, tree trunk behind them. The light is soft, pink-hued, and slightly pied through branches. They stretch their arms and hands out, fingers pressing against palm. They wear off-white cardigan and light blue jeans, their head turned away from us. In the distance beyond pond we see other rocks, verdant greens and pinks.
Text: When spring shattered into summer (Third Spring / 세 번째 봄)
Esther and kyung
on Kiikaapoi (Kickapoo), Peoria, Bodéwadmiakiwen (Potawatomi), Myaamia, and Očeti Šakówiŋ (Sioux) land, 2021
(21) Square Photo
Three people sit in a room of blue walls and ceiling. Window light grazes the side of two people’s faces, highlighting their faces in cream light. One sits at the edge of the bed (he appears to be speaking), the other sits criss-crossed on an ottoman in front of the bed. A woman sits in shadow on the bed, her lips pursed as she listens. Besides her is a small white and brown dog, her face fixated on the small morsel of food in the speaker’s hand. Also in this room: a couple framed photographs, small mahogany table with lamp, carpet floors and floral headboard.
(22) Square Photo
Ruddy tree stump sits amidst mountainous woods lush with deep forest greens and blues, the trunk opening shallow yet cavernous. If you look closely, the inside of this trunk is textured with what looks like hair or dust close-up. Light is filtered through above trees, dappling the stump and its surrounding ground.
Text:
Images & Text/Captions:
[will be completed soon! / order subject to change]
(23) Square Photo
(24) Vertical Portrait
(25) Square Photo
(26) Landscape Photo
Sepia-toned monochrome archival of two Corean women leaning against a balcony against rooftops in Corea. Four shoes sit against a pillar on the left. One woman sits on the balcony, subtly smiling as she looks at us directly. The other woman’s face is covered in shadow, her expression less readable, as she stands and leans against balcony with crying child in her arms.
(27) Square Photo
(28) Landscape Photo
(29) Square Photo
Text: -
Emma, Mrs. Kim & kyung
on Lenapehoking territory, 2021