By Min Yea-Ji and Hahm Hee-eun
Video = Korean Cultural Center in Germany Official YouTube
The Korean Cultural Center in Germany and the Korea Arts Management Service opened the Korean Interdisciplinary Arts Festival “Non-Sense Music #2: Borders” in Berlin on May 11. The festival will focus on two topics, “borders” and “a divided Korean Peninsula.”
Six ethnic Korean artists all interpret the concept of “borders” in different manners, such as geographical borders at the 38th parallel north, cultural borders or political borders. They will express their interpretations of “borders” through various works of art, including videos and performances.
Kwon Hayoun’s short film “489 Years” (2016) will be screened at the festival. Kwon is one of the participating artists who depicts virtual reality through her video works. Through the film “489 Years,” she shares memories of a former soldier Mr. Kim from his military service stationed in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
Chung Soyoung will be displaying a performance video titled “Stone” that she made during her stay near the DMZ. Her video questions the meaning of geographic borders and shows the paradox of the DMZ, as the area is becoming a land of political tension as well as an area of abundant farming.
Kim Hwang will be exhibiting an installation artwork “Pizzas for the People” that combines a documentary video and a performance. The video shows a pizza restaurant that has opened in Pyeongyang, but which is also a no-go area for normal North Korean citizens. Kim takes a video of how they make pizzas there and distribute them through the black market in Pyeongyang. As he receives letters and photos from North Korean people, he makes a performance of reading out the letters in this exhibition.
The festival will run until May 20.
jesimin@korea.kr
