"Layers of time " + "4+4": Cross cultural exhibition

Layers of Time

I have been working with everyday objects such as cents, outdated newspapers, bottle caps, paper boxes, and disposable paper decorations. Having lived and moved in various countries, I identify myself - an outsider and a stranger - with trivial objects. At the same time, I see disposable objects similar to our modern-day relationships that are easily established and broken depending on our needs.

I emphasize the existence of trivial objects by enlarging and expressing them through paintings and installation works. The painstaking and time-consuming dedication is put into the works as if to change the fate of disposable objects.

Recently, I have been creating artworks by stacking colors and overlapping paints on canvas. I would later scrap off the paint with a carving knife. By using a method that reveals and digs the past actions, I show the layers of time that the work contains. The seemingly inadvertent patterns that appear on the surface of the canvas are the result of carving with different directions and strengths on the layers of the paint. It is the inevitability that comes from the unplanned.

Se-Eun An

4 + 4

The pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges, such as the growing psychological distances. As a result, maintaining valued relationships has become harder for many. In the midst of feeling detached, Jordanian and Korean artists came together to create a new project. Not having been to Jordan yet knowing it as a country of astonishing landscapes, Korean artists were delighted to collaborate with artists of the fascinating land.

During the unprecedented times, Jordanian artists willingly sent their drawings, photos, and objet to Korea for exchange, which transformed into new pieces. At the same time, Jordanian artists also recreated work sent from Korea. For this project, artists shifted their focus from creating their own work to reproducing those of others. The byproduct of one artist became a new construction point for the other. This process of interacting with images and objects allowed a meaningful exploration between the two cultures without having to travel. Artists shared short videos of their working process on virtual spaces such as Instagram (@jo_kr_art).

Artists successfully showcased their works through two exhibitions: ‘Far yet so close’ and ‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ in Seoul, Korea. Artists gained special experiences of having their work reborn by the hands of others and fostered friendships in a boundless working community. This journey has become the magic of our daily lives. Now we are about to complete this journey with '4+4' in Jordan.

 Se-eun An