Bon 本
Word meaning foundation, root, origin, nature, ground, base, hometown, original family, and also oneself.
‘Bon’ discovered in the process of finding Bitgae (‘picket’ in Jeju dialect)
I underwent a process of wandering in search of meaning and only became satisfied once I had gone through that process to create and frame this true meaning. But there remained a wriggling desire in my heart and in my fingertips. This ‘urge’ that had to be hidden away and suppressed still struggled to burst free.
As I wandered about looking for the meaning of Bitgae, I felt that same ‘urge’ poking its head out. After trying to push it back inside, I quietly allowed it to open its airways and, letting out a small breath, the ‘urge’ spoke:
“Clouds float without a destination. The river flows without thinking.”
While not paying too much attention, I try to leave a mark on the wall just by showing it. The process of putting an object on film and transferring it onto a piece of paper is like placing a brush soaked with black ink on rice paper. An unknown sense of excitement surrounds me when the subtle tension flows out from the hand to reach the tip of the brush. The process of finding white space with the pure black ink is simply phenomenal, and only the pleasure of this is pursued. The truth rests upon this excitement and anticipation, and the meaning is then filled by itself.
‘Bon’ moved around according to my interest, so certain pictures were picked with mirth and mounted on frames. Whether they exist digitally, on analog film, or have become dried-up prints with frayed edges, they exist as sculptures and become components to fill the space I imagined. I can fully enjoy this ‘Bon’ through the process.
Material: Gelatin Silver Print (Fiber-based Paper)
Filmed in: 2020
Size: 11 X14 in
Bon 本
Word meaning foundation, root, origin, nature, ground, base, hometown, original family, and also oneself.
‘Bon’ discovered in the process of finding Bitgae (‘picket’ in Jeju dialect)
I underwent a process of wandering in search of meaning and only became satisfied once I had gone through that process to create and frame this true meaning. But there remained a wriggling desire in my heart and in my fingertips. This ‘urge’ that had to be hidden away and suppressed still struggled to burst free.
As I wandered about looking for the meaning of Bitgae, I felt that same ‘urge’ poking its head out. After trying to push it back inside, I quietly allowed it to open its airways and, letting out a small breath, the ‘urge’ spoke:
“Clouds float without a destination. The river flows without thinking.”
While not paying too much attention, I try to leave a mark on the wall just by showing it. The process of putting an object on film and transferring it onto a piece of paper is like placing a brush soaked with black ink on rice paper. An unknown sense of excitement surrounds me when the subtle tension flows out from the hand to reach the tip of the brush. The process of finding white space with the pure black ink is simply phenomenal, and only the pleasure of this is pursued. The truth rests upon this excitement and anticipation, and the meaning is then filled by itself.
‘Bon’ moved around according to my interest, so certain pictures were picked with mirth and mounted on frames. Whether they exist digitally, on analog film, or have become dried-up prints with frayed edges, they exist as sculptures and become components to fill the space I imagined. I can fully enjoy this ‘Bon’ through the process.
Material: Gelatin Silver Print (Fiber-based Paper)
Filmed in: 2020
Size: 11 X14 in