condenCITY_92 preservative measures




photos: b.oicherman\\ e.reeder


Recently I have been collaborating with color and light expert Boris Oicherman, a visiting artist in residence at the Chungdam Institute- supported in part by the Museum of Contemporary Art of Seoul. We have been experimenting with a material he has become quite familiar with in his studio- cellophane- and together have begun to consider the effects of site specific installations in the dense, aging neighborhoods of Seoul's industrial urban center.  

Some of our first documented installation 'tests', seen here, are from my perspective an attempt to preserve 'city' via material interventions that promote heightened awareness through diverging contrast. Time will end for these dense network alleys, as Seoul moves forward- in blind obliteration- away from its tumultuous past. We can manage however to capture, with serendipitous effort- images, reflections, saturations otherwise overlooked-  as measures preserved for time immemorial. Perhaps similar in the way we have become accustomed to preservation; wrapped and sealed.




Un-condensed rural 3.0






Heyri art valley is located  to the north west of Seoul, just shy of the DMZ border. Planned as an artists live-work village it has become something of a commercial spectacle. Actually, suburban theme park comes to my mind, the more I return and experience the ebb and flow of 'customers' who visit in high volume on weekends and holidays- it is a place defined by being open and being closed, figuratively speaking. Heyri's North American suburban like planning, with meandering roads circling back to a single gated-community-entry, is dotted with modernist galleries, restaurants, residences,  working studios and a few other out of the ordinary functions. Natural landscapes permeate vacant lots and surrounding hillsides- all appearing in wait for the next architectural surprise- but one has to hope that some of this remains 'open' to dormant speculation. 


In Heyri, the sum of its pieces detract from the spirit of its whole. As place of creative discovery one is constantly distracted by competing architectural folly- even in recognizing the masterful results as some individual architectures have come to be. Beauty may lie individually, but excess can be blinding. Sometimes restrained silence is necessary: but what does this mean for the future of Heyri.. and after a decade of development and change has Heyri lost its way?