Memory of November: 4 Channel Installation View [2006]

The installation "Memory of November" conjures memories of a dominant paternal figure and the ensuing disruption of idenitty after his unexpected death. In the wake of this trauma, "Memory of November" is a recuperative effort that assuages the destructive potential of subconscious memory. Yet, it is tainted by the knowledge that memory is inherently cyclical, inextinguishable and, therefore, always carries with it a residual melancholy.

The piece "November 3rd" marks the date of my father’s death and thus the end of immediate paternal authority. A book of poetry authored by my father serves as both the structure for the piece as well as a stand-in for his presence. Woven into the pages of the text is a video documentation of a traditional Korean punishment.

"November 24th alludes to the time of the Thanksgiving celebration and therefore it deals with the harvesting and consumption of experience, transforming it into memory. On opposing walls, a video of the Eater is coupled with a sequence of memory images. The act of eating one’s own memory references a cannibalistic consumption - a violent act that augments the destructive nature of memory.

"November 29th" represents this reconstruction of memory. In revisiting the same symbols found in "November 3rd," specifically the Korean Han-Bok,  it  re-evaluates the meanings and feelings associated with these memories. The act of reconstituting the Han-Bok by the act of sewing acknowledges that memories of the past cannot simply be suppressed and forgotten, but must be dealt with constructively, recuperated and reconciled with the present.

Installation View