If I were to describe Hong Sangsoo's 'Nobody's Daughter, Haewon' in one word, I would say it is like tofu. When I was young, I hated the nothingness of it. There is no word that can describe the taste of it. But I grew up to like it. I think I can say the same thing for Director Hong's 14th film which was showing at the Lincoln Center on Sunday.
There is no punch line that I remember - but the impression lingered on even after the movie ended. Haewon is a college student who wants to be an actress. The movie opens with Haewon having a meal with her mom, who was moving to Canada. It seems like Haewon's parents are divorced and her mom is ready to enjoy "the Second Act" of her life. Before leaving, the mom says, "you should do whatever you want to do with your life". And Haewon is sad, but wishes her mom the best.
Her mom's departure makes Haewon depressed, and she decides to meet up with her Professor. The married Professor, who seems to really love Haewon, can't decide. And he fails to get rid of Haewon's melancholy.
Haewon also meets a professor from America. An old man, he proposes to her. And Haewon doesn't have strong objection to the idea.
Here is some part of Director Hong's interview with Korean Film Critic Lee Dongjin that I translated into English. (Original transcript can be found here)
Your movie usually starts out with significant location or place. But it seems like Nobody's Daughter Haewon shifted its focus to the character. Is the focus on the location, like the West Village, or is it Haewon, the character?
Nowadays I have bad memories. Probably I picked out the location first. It was after meeting Eun Chae (Haewon) that I thought the movie will be more about the character.
This is the third time you named your movie after the female character's name. Why not the male character?
I don't think 'Oh, Sungjoon (male character's name)!' will make a good title.
I feel like this movie is a tribute to women. The female characters are evolving, always venturing out to the unknown. On the other hand, male characters are reluctant to go forward. What do you think about these changes?
It is difficult to talk about them. I used to think about changes in my old days. But I stopped. I don't think women (in general) are the ideal. I think newborn babies are. Because they are new.
This movie begins and ends with dreams. Like Inception?
I didn't think I could conclude whatever stories these characters having in the movie. So that's why dream came in. Young people have many thoughts. And I thought dream could carry a lot of these thoughts and feelings.
The art books themselves were interesting enough. But what really added to the whole experience was actually seeing and meeting people behind these creations. And all those eclectic set of crowds who attended the show.
"You know what your problem is? You love the world."
That is what J.D. Salinger told his ex-girlfriend, who came to him to ask questions for her book. (The book was going to be about their relationship) Like Holden, Salinger had an acerbic attitudes towards anything 'phony' or 'grownup'.Hiding from the public's eyes as bests he could, he spurred any publicity. Readers want to get to know Salinger, who seemed to possess the wisdom and insights into the harried modern life. But he made himself inaccessible. As there should be only writing and Salinger was only writing for himself and the writing itself.
Therefore, this documentary succeeded in conveying Salinger's attitudes. Viewers will still feel distant and hardly any new information is groundbreaking nor shocking. This made me respect Salinger more - he clearly didn't care about other byproducts that accompanied his success. Only his craft mattered for itself.
As Oscar Wilde said "to reveal art and conceal the artist is art's aim".
Been there, done that. You first come to New York. You get overwhelmed. But as you make New York City a little more acquainted, you feel a little better. And within a few months, you are in love with New York City and you don't even realize. You feel you belong in the city, hustling and bustling with the world's fanciest crowds. But then after the blissful honeymoon phase and after few heartbreaks (either from work or relationship), you realize you are overworked and underpaid. It makes no sense to live in New York. You want out.
If you ever wonder why you are still paying ridiculous amount of rent money for rodents infested apartment and dealing with big city nonsense, T.J.Wilcox's In the Air is a great reminder of why you came here and what you are here for.
Occupying the second floor of the Whitney Museum, it is presented in cinema-in-the-round, which was in style circa 1920. From dawn until dusk, six projector capture the panoramic view of Manhattan on the roof of the artist's studio in Union Square. (It was very easy for me to recognize the location as I lived in a dorm in Union Square for two years. Also the Zeckendorf buildings are pretty easy to spot)
One after another, each presents a story that is particularly inspired by a particular view from the Union Square location. For instance, in one film, Wilcox revisits the Empire State Building. Originally, the once tallest skyscraper was to be used as a docking station for trans-Atlantic zeppelins. (That is, until the tragic Hindenburg Disaster compelled to abandon the plan)
Other stories show what New York means to Wilcox : A documentary about 1980s fashion illustrator Antonio, who was Wilcox's inspiration ; An emotionally charged interview with a building manager who watched the Twin Towers's collapse from the building ; A tribute to Gloria Vanderbilt, New York's very own socialite ; Andy Warhol's recreation of balloon on the day ofPope Paul VI's arrival in NY ; Manhattanhenge
On Twin Towers : Talking about a friend who lost his life on his first day as fireman
Gloria Vanderbilt : New York's very first socialite whose life was always relayed to the public
If New York made you feel alive even for once, you will enjoy the show.
Panoramic film installation : Super 8 film transferred to video and HD video, black-and-white and color, silent, 35 min, looped
On September 18th, (just yesterday), Galerie Perrotin had its inaugural opening with its exhibition "Ok, You are Better than Me, So What?"
You may remember Paola Pivi from this airplane hovering in Central Park. This time, she installed bears at Emmanuel Perrotin's new gallery uptown. On the first floor, you will find eight polar bears covered with neon fur made of turkey feather. The sculptures' titles directly suggest the artists' intentions :
"?", 2013
Urethane foam, plastic, feathers
"Mama no more diapers, please", 2013
Urethane foam, plastic, feathers
"Here it comes the hunter", 2013
Urethane foam, plastic, feathers
Downstairs, you will find this Money Machine :
Nearby, a sign warns that "money is spit out everywhere" which bluntly reflects the moneyed aspect of art.
Fashion documentary about former French Vogue Editor Carine Roitfeld
Beautiful images : although the documentary does not reveal 'groundbreaking' things that the public does not know about CR, I would say its visuals are beautiful.
Born and raised in Korea, Younwon Sohn is a student at the Korean National University of Arts.
For her final project, Faith : Lighter Attitude, she built altars to relive the impression she had from golden altarpieces of the Middle Ages art. “I wanted to talk about experiencing faith before practicing any particular religion. I think this mechanism of faith is universal – across all religions.”
What was the hardest part of the project?
While working, relentless self-doubt haunted me. ‘Would this mean something to others? Or is this a self-satisfying act of nothingness?’ But I consciously avoided negative thoughts. I decided that all I can do is just be myself and make art that reflects who I am.
Where did you get your inspiration?
When I first came to America, I was deeply moved by artworks from the Middle Ages at the National Museum in Washington D.C. Also from old parts of my apartment in Korea. The building is so old but it radiates aura that cannot be found in modern apartment. They have stories and touches of people who lived there. I find this oldness holy.
As an art student, how do you train yourself?
I work hard on my school projects. Also, I try to read regardless of genres. Meeting people outside of my field helps me too. And when I meet people, I do my best to really listen to what they have to say. And I never give up on my efforts to understand them.
What do you have on your mind for the next project?
I want it to exist in 3 dimensions. I want it to be something new but familiar at the same time. Also I want to go to Germany.
Why Germany?
I know absolutely nothing about the country including its language. I want to expose myself to an unfamiliar environment and see things with fresh eyes.
Haein manages more than 50,000 members of the Manchester United Korean Supporters Club, edits columns for the official Manchester United Korean website, and just released her first book, Wayne Rooney : My Decade on the Premiere League.
Haein was the first person to pop up on my mind when I was looking for the unique personality to feature on ‘Voice Interview’. Not because of her naturally curly hair, which is so rare to be found among native Koreans, but because of her passion that I have been witnessing since I met her. In high school, she was the kind of girl who would pull an all-nighter to monitor the ups and downs of venerated Manchester United Football Club.
Four years later, she is quickly transforming her passion into a full time profession. Globe trotting Haein has been closely observing the ever changing dynamics of the premiere league, editing columns for the official Manchester United Korean website and recently translated Wayne Rooney : My Decade in the Premiere League (2013) into Korean.
As we sat down for brunch at L’atelier, a three-storied café in more explorable part of Seoul, we were bombarded by colorful choices and got a little too excited.
Club sandwiches, french toast and scrambled eggs
Haein showed up in her bright red United home jersey, which she bought during her latest trip to Manchester for the Liverpool game. “It was like a personal pilgrimage. I went to all these soccer meccas in Europe.” She went to more than 10 cities in 38 days.
Haein’s first soccer trip to Europe was in 2010, when she won a plane ticket from a contest. In exchange of a free plane ticket, she was responsible for reporting on Manchester United’s game – which was not a shabby deal for a soccer enthusiast. It was during this trip that she met Wayne Rooney for the first time. With no exaggeration, she was knocking on the door at Rooney's front door. “It sounds crazy. I know, but that's what really happened,” laughed Haein. The only piece of information she had was an article that she collected from the Guardian that Rooney lived in Prestbury, Chesire. From there, she took a cab in search of her idol.
“I was cabbing for hours in a city that I knew nothing about. Trying to find him and get an autograph!”
But it was not easy. She would talk to people on the street, and although generally kind, they were as clueless as she was. After hours of aimless wandering, Haein decided to give up, ready to put an end to her journey at a pub. As a bartender curiously asked about her trip, she told him how her little adventure was about to end. To her astonishment, however, the bartender said, “I actually know the guy who lives right next door to Rooney. He is right there!”
“I was so scared and nervous! I was about to meet Rooney. THE WAYNE ROONEY.” She was relaying the story as if it happened only yesterday. “Thank God he was at home when I literally knocked on the door. And there he was.” Then she showed me pictures of her after the news made a big hit on cyworld (Facebook equivalent of then Korea), where 20-year-old Haein beamed brightly with Wayne Rooney on her side.
This year’s Euro trip was a little different. “I am always excited to watch a game,” explained Haein, “but this trip was more about finding my own career path.” This time, she had her eyes pinned on to universities that offered programs in sports marketing and management. “It was nice to meet people who actually went to these schools. It definitely helped me to find mentors and build a network. It’s more like a support system to me now.” Her most memorable moment? “Definitely visiting FIFA HQ in Switzerland! Although everything is very expensive there.”
At this point, I had to stop her and ask, why do you like soccer so much? And for someone who was talking at 100 mph elaborating the nuanced politics of the football world, she sheepishly smiled and took a sip at her cotton candy latte. “Ah, I can’t explain! It is just so hard to explain in a few sentences.” It was 2007 all over again and talking about our secret crushes. “I mean you don’t love someone because there is a reason behind, you know.”
Haein and her choice of desserts : cotton candy latte
Then what is it about Manchester United that makes it so special? What makes you want to stay up at 3AM because of the time difference to watch a game? I insisted, trying to understand this affectionate devotion.
“Tradition. Leadership. History.” responded Haein dreamily. “Did you know that Sir Fergusson was the longest serving manager in the history of Manchester United? 26 years. When other clubs have managers who last no longer than 2 years? Now we are talking about trust, faith and loyalty.”
What is your definition of a good match?
“There are many ways to put it. The magnitude of the match. Scores. Dramatic play. But above all, a good match has true je ne sais quoi.” (I don’t speak French, but according to our interviewee, it means elusive quality.)
When I was about to become too immersed with this newly discovered aspect of soccer, Haein interrupted my digestion process with more technical explanation.
“And there are so many cultural byproducts too,” began Haein, “like the transfer market. The youth league. The regulations. Sports marketing. This industry is just indefinable. But in an exciting way.”
It was truly amazing to witness a pure affection that was downright translated into passion. Is there a formula to find this kind of passion? Is this given? Or cultivated? Where does this passion come from? I tried to locate the source of her strong desire. How did you become a fan?
“Well, I sort of gave into a teenage peer pressure when I was living in England and went to an all girl’s school,” said Haein. (She lived in England during her middle school for 3 years.) “Everyone was talking about Beckham. And that’s how I started to watch the games. And now, I cannot stop.”
As our waiter served our desserts (strawberry crepe with macaron), Haein showed me her new book – Autobiography of the Wayne Rooney : My Decade in the Premiere League, translated by Haein Kim.
Strawberry crepe with macaron
I am so jealous. It is like on your resume, everything just makes sense. One thing leads to the other. Did you put a lot of efforts when orchestrating all these career moves?
“I think how I end up here is quite funny. Because when I was starting, I had to get help from other people. It’s smart to use connections. But then, with one experience, you meet more people, learn more about the industry. And that leads to the another.”
It was such a humble response from someone whose career included traveling around the world while getting a book published. And did I mention she is still in college?
So what are you up to now?
I am studying German. I like foreign languages. Besides, they speak German in Switzerland.
As we were about to wrap up our brunch, Haein added, “you know the thing about soccer? I like it because there will always be a new game. Things change in life. But one thing I can count on is the fact that there will always be a next game.”
I totally agree. We are all full of new beginnings.
It is that time of the year again - New York City is filled with film insiders and moviegoers who are eager to witness the latest installment of the creative minds. This year, I was very lucky (thanks to a really great friend) and got a Tribeca Film Pass and attended both the Director Series (or the “Talk”) and the movie premiere of “Before Midnight”. The Talk took place in Chelsea where Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy and Richard Linklater were welcomed by much excited audience. Without a moderator, the three began the talk by how they met each other. Ethan recalled that at first, he thought he was getting an offer for the role. But in fact, he had to come for an audition.Ethan Hawke added how “Rick” was not afraid of actors and actresses, which really impressed him.
The conversation was so seamless, as if we were invited to a very intimate party of three friends who have known each other for two decades. It was just like watching another clip from Before Series - Jesse and Julie arguing about everything from American culture to environment as if the world is going to end tomorrow.The friendly banter and lighthearted snarks kept the audience very entertained with occasional philosophical dialogue.
It was so interesting to see the dynamics of the three - Ethan Hawke would try to say something profound, and Julie Delpy would mildly dismiss them as pretentious. And Rick would provide some middle grounds where they can settle and move on to the next topic, while carefully observing the very moment (probably contemplating on the storyline for the next Before Series).
Many people in the audience were curious whether the casts separate performance from performers. Ethan Hawke’s response was a very simple and lucid “no”. He said he cannot separate himself from his performance, a viewpoint that was shared by both Julie Delpy and Rick Linklater. Everyone also wanted to hear how the film could master the arts of looking effortlessly beautiful and whether improvisation took place. To the audience’s surprise, everything was all carefully crafted move that required so much efforts from the casts.Behind that natural and easy conversation was calculated acting skills that required years of experience. Julie Delpy said it was like “practicing a musical instrument – such as violin. You break down into smaller parts and the repeat. Then you play bigger chunks and chunks.”
Someone in the audience asked what I had on my mind - What was Before Series trying to achieve? The three of creative minds said we are very biased and limited to our own experiences. So what they were trying to do was to take the core element of personal experience and make it relatable to the bigger audience, where people can find emotional understanding of the situation as well.Also the talk revolved around the third character : the location. In previous interviews, Ethan Hawke used to say time was the third character. This time, it was the location. Greece is where the old meets the new, and also, with its current state of the economy, where the romanticized holiday spot collides with the current economic turmoil. This coexistence of big contrasts made more sense as I finished watching the film. When asked about the love life of Jesse and Celine, Ethan Hawke mildly commented that he had “18 years of [sexual] frustration”, which brought out a great laughter.
It was like reading a novel about two people who are much in love.
AVOG : The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction
I was writing this paper for my photography class... Now that I read it again, I am being ironical by blogging this, as how I vent out (read below) we need "aura" back..
I would agree with Walter Benjamin on some points wholeheartedly – were I living in the early 20th century. The introduction of camera changed the landscape and instigated interesting conversation regarding what would be “art”. It became easier to make copies of “art” works, hence eliminating the “aura” which is defined as “the unique phenomenon of a distance, however close it may be”. This has brought down the distance between public audience and the work of art. Art works are less viewed as “holy”, as objects of veneration. It is now more approachable to the people. On this regard, Benjamin perceived it as positive. I also believe that it was an imperative historical progress that made positive impact on the development of the art as well as humanity. However, in the world where I am living now, the situation is reversed. Technology advance makes it so much easier to copy and paste art works – through social media such as Facebook and Instagram. They have made the process of creating and sharing of arts much easier and convenient. This has led to the abundance of “creation” on the Internet. There are so many easy ways to “publish” your work. This is definitely a positive thing as it invites new artists to have a chance to get their works discovered. However, sometimes, the amounts of creation are inundating the world wide web, making it very difficult to tell which would befall under just a plain “image” or a piece of “art work”. Would you say a blog that is followed by the most people would be a better work of art then a work that receives no attention from the popular culture? In order to get noticed, do you have to employ smart social media technology? At least in the back in the old days, you would not feel the pressure to be “liked” by the general public. And we have to be reminded that the greatest work of arts was not always well received by the then-public. So for me, the inundated data makes me crave for the old-fashioned, curated work of arts in physical settings of galleries or museums. The pure act of walking to the museum with full intention of viewing art works becomes part of the “art experience”. It is true that I can see better Mona Lisa through my computer window, in the privacy of my room. However, it was the whole “experience”, the opportunity to be solely immersed in the art, facing the painting, that gave me the satisfaction.
In the picture, I am holding a book, showing how much I enjoy reading. However, I purposefully left a lot of room on the above, illustrating that the big space indicate there are many questions to be answered and discussions to be held. On a side note, the title of the book is “How to be a Bad Girl”, which is a topic that is very different from who I really am in real life as I like to live vicariously through the characters of books.
With this picture, I wanted to show how much I like the outdoors. However, I am afraid to get a sun-burn, as I grew up in a culture where pale skin signifies beauty. Having a stark contrast between my almost-burnt forehead and the sky, I was thinking Oscar Wilde’s words, “Each man kills the things he loves”.
The cup holding image is very candid picture of what I am like socially. I am pretty shy if I meet you for the first time. However, if I get to know you (over a drink), I get more comfortable and become myself. (Hence the cup holding is my affirmative action to really get to know you)
This is actually an image produced from the video installation. When the video started, it was hard to understand what the performers were doing. There were suited-up men sitting inside an animal barn. It seemed like they were trying to have emotional contact with these animals.
There were also female performers in the video who were naked. They were sprawled together and covering each other's bodies with mud.
What are they doing? was the first question that popped up on my mind. The story did not come to me quickly. But by the end of the video, I could have my own understanding of the message. Honestly, it seemed very straightforward...<We need to go back to mother nature>
And this guess was reinforced by the cryptic messages left on the cardboard (above)
To answer the artist's question, does this hippie crap work, I would say,
Truth in Image with Elisabeth Biondi & David Armstrong
So. Many. Thoughts.
On Tuesday evening, NYU held an event, "Truth in Image" with Elisabeth Biondi and David Armstrong.
Elisabeth Biondi joined the New Yorker as Visuals Editor in 1996 and contributed tremendously in establishing the magazine as it is today. She was also one of the judges of World Press 2012.
David Armstrong is a photographer who is famous for his works of pictures of young boys and men. Also, he has worked with various publications as well as fashion houses like Zegna and Burberry.
The event began with Ms. Biondi talking about her World Photo 2012, showing us slides of the winning picture. Then Mr. Armstrong talked about slides of photos he brought and his own work as well.
Frau Biondi & Herr Armstrong
The highlight of the event was the dialogue between Ms. Biondi and Mr. Armstrong. Topics varied, but I was most interested in their views on Photography as Art. I have been only recently introduced to digital photography. Even though I always had a vague conviction that photography was an art, this discussion compelled me to seek my own reasoning. The conversation got heated as the topic shifted to 'the Internet. As technology has brought down the barrier to entry, there are myriads of 'hobbyist' who post pictures on their blogs and social media. This has completely changed the landscape. Especially in the digital age, how do you define the lines between 'a' photograph and an 'art' photograph. To this question, Ms. Biondi completely rejects labeling. I think Mr. Armstrong was on the same page, as he believes that photographs should be 'seamless' regardless of the genre.
Then one audience questioned the validity of categorization. As in music, there should be some clear lines between different types of photography.
I am still so new to photography in order to even digest such questions. But I think photography should embrace many possibilities that the Internet is providing. Once there is a room that welcomes different ideas and approaches, there may be a way to categorize, or at least, identify different types of photography.
Also, it was a relief to know that even professionals still have questions about the topic - photography as art - as I do. It will be almost impossible to find the perfect answer but I guess it is the process of getting there that will make the fun.
I had the opportunity to attend the opening reception of Dean West & Nathan Sawaya's In Pieces exhibition at the Avant Gallery downtown.
It is described as, "a multimedia exhibition featuring LEGO sculptures and hyper-realistic photographs". Once a lawyer, Sawaya is known for his unique sculptures made out of LEGO. The LEGO bricks reminded me of the binary system and pixels of a digital photograph.
Dean West is "one of the world's best emerging photographers", according to After Capture Magazine.
Each of Dean's photograph features a sculptor by Sawaya. The girl is wearing the red dress!
The brilliance of LEGO bricks was enough to catch my attention. Also, seeing an object from photographs standing right in front of me made the experience. It was as if the photographs were projecting a digitized/physical object in front of me.
Appropriation : the use of pre-existing objects or images with little or no transformation applied to them
Sherrie Levine's appropriation of the German photographer August Sander was intriguing in that it made me think about the meaning about 'art'. For a layman like myself, it has always baffled me - what can we call 'art'?
Sherrie Levine's Interpretation
In a way, photography is a form of appropriation of the nature - the world is the same for everyone. It only depends on the photographer's own vision and frame that defines what is 'art' and 'photo'. So when I was walking out of the gallery, I concluded that because Sherrie Levine used her own interpretation and understanding of Sander's works to appropriate them, it was another form of creation.
August Sander's Work
However, as I was reading more reviews about this exhibition, the New York Photo Review had a very differing view on this :
"Placing Sander’s and Levine’s work in the same room highlights a major schism in contemporary photography. In the case of Sander, the photograph is clearly analogous to a window. He is deeply concerned with the content of his images; the photographer and the intervention are made as transparent as possible. In Levine’s work, the photograph is, if not a simple mirror reflecting the photographer, a billboard that points to other issues. The photograph is not something that has much intrinsic interest by itself. Curiously, it is the cataloguer Sander whose images convey the most emotion; we stare through his window and see a parade of human stories pass before us. In front of the Levine appropriations we see the dark ghosts of old stories, served up in a thin gruel of dated irony."
I believe that in photography, selection of works and installation are also one of the most integral processes as well as taking the pictures. The intention of curator that comes into play at the final stage has a big impact on viewers' experience. Sherrie Levine's selection of 18 portraits did put spotlights on different aspects of August Sander's original work. For now, I rest my case with my first impression.
The video ran for about 65 minutes and I stayed there for the entire time. So many things came up to my mind :
1. Technology
2. Family
3. Music
4. Facebook
When you walk in, you will see different screens showing different parts of a giant mansion. Then, in a few minutes, different members of family appear on these respective screens and start to play their instruments. It is fun to examine each player's expression and movements. It made me a bit sentimental and sad because it reminded me of my own family at home. Like the players on the screens, my sister and I have our own rooms. And we spend so much time separately so that we barely see each other. Despite the peril of sounding cliche, it also reminded me of how I feel about Facebook and social media. I am on Facebook 24/7 to feel connected to my friends. And I do get real interaction with my friends on Facebook. However, since Facebook makes reaching out to people so easy, I feel less motivated to make the efforts to have real meetings with friends off line.
How great it is that individualized technology and developed communication have made things so much convenient. Yet it is a little sad and ironical how it has become an impediment to real human contact.
The sound system is amazing - if you like certain instrument better, you can stand in front of the screen. For me, I really like piano and surrounded myself with the sound by standing in front of the piano-playing screen.
The best part of this video is the end - everyone comes together and goes out of the mansion, singing. It is just one very sweet moment that illustrates how people still crave the real human contact and direct interaction with the nature.
It is like visiting your favorite family friend - plus a pleasant music performance.
LOVED IT!
공연/전시장에 들어가면 한 가정집에 초대된 '방문객'이 된 착각이 든다. 9개의 비디오가 설치되어 있는데 각 방에 각각의 다른 악기가 한시간 동안 연주된다. 개인과 개인의 재능을 존중해주는 현대 사회와 테크놀로지의 조화가 잘 어울리는 거 같은데 한 순간 조금 씁슬한 느낌이 들었다. 각 방에서 자기가 잘하는 악기를 연주하는 모습이 매우 효율적인거 같아 보이기도 했지만 뭔가 인간적인 면이 부족한? 그래서인지 모두가 한 스크린으로 모이는 마지막 장면이 매우 의미심장하고 마음을 따뜻하게 했다.
