www.simonwhetham.co.uk
Open Arts Project 2017, Busan, South Korea
For the second consecutive year I was invited to join the residency project run by Busan-based performance artist Sung Baeg.
This year there was more of a focus on performance and dance, as well as creating work for the new gallery space 'Merge?' in Busan city.
I created new visual works for the exhibition space, influenced by objects I found and also by Sung Baeg himself.
The first image is titled 'What the Earshells Hear'. These abalone shells each have a small transducing speaker attached to them and the piece plays a stereo recording of waves crashing on a beach in Busan. When the listener puts their head inside the ring of shells, they hear the soft sound of the sea.
The second and third images show 'Trace of the Storm', with one finished work and one in progress. Recorded sounds of a heavy storm are played through a found speaker, which is filled with Korean ink. When the sound is strong, the ink sprays outwards, creating circular patterns. The sound also plays through the finished work.
For a special performance event at Merge? I worked with two amazing performers, Hany Park (KR) and Solene De Cock (FR).
For our performance together Hany and I made a sound installation with 6 speakers and 3 wooden chairs. I played sounds recorded with Hany in the forest above KKhotmaeul (Flower Village) in Busan, where she made actions with sticks, branches and soil. As she moved, so the sound played from the speaker closest to her, and we responded to each other throughout the performance.
With Solene, we used her voice as a starting point, which was channeled to 4 speakers around the room. She then danced in a butoh style she has developed while I played complementary sounds, rising and lowering in intensity with her movements.
To watch the video of Hany and I, please use the password "Simon_X_HanyP"
