In keeping with the artist’s statement, “Most of the time, my work begins with an encounter with a certain site,” this work is connected with the experience of climbing Sirubong in Wolchul mountain, a popular hiking destination near Gwangju. The resulting video was presented at the 14th Gwangju Biennale, providing a tactile map of the rock walls encountered over time. As it follows the rough, blunt and sharp sensations of the artist’s hands, this work focuses on the temperature and scent of the rock, the sounds made when the body collides with the rock’s surface, dust and the sounds of wildlife living in Wolchul mountain. The video captures the act of sensing as the sight “opens and closes” repeatedly, disclosing the possibilities and limitations inherent in various methods of visualizing physical contact.
