KIM CHANG-SOO

ELIN KARD (EK): Why an artist should tackle with the topic of exile? Why would it be interesting (necessary etc) to make an artistic comment on theme of exile?

KCS: I found myself to be interested in the topic of ’exile’ (a social and phenomenal issue) against the background of current international conflicts and social problems. Moreover, the meaning of the word ’exile’ does not simply mean political or social exile which extends over the boundaries between the nations. For artists, the essence of the concept of ’exile’ lies in the loss of the self, a struggle to overcome one’s confusion over his or her identity, and an attempt to escape from oneself. It is about overcoming historical, regional, genetic, and social environment which one finds oneself in to escape from communized ’public group consciousness’ which restricts the existence.
As such, for artists, the meaning of ’exile’ includes reactions to social phenomena, consciousness similar to an automatic shorthand which reflects various perspectives of individuals and a natural act of self-defense in order to confirm the meaning of the existence. I do not believe that the way of talking of artists can lead to any greater interests about ’exile.’ Artists as a member of the society, in whatever methods they choose, make statements which reflect the self and the consciousness of the environment which he or she belongs to. Diverse expressions about ’exile’ by artists will become a self-portrait of confused consciousness which essentially is a mosaic of many sides of consciousness about ’exile.’ I truly believe that this is a meaningful statement. In the end, all of us are nothing more than a refugee who drift to find ’his or her very own’ ’paradise lost’.

EK: Whether the media of graphic fine art enchances or diminishes the signification of the notion of exile.

KCS: I do not believe that the media of graphic fine arts enhances or diminishes the signification of the notion of exile. Media, like its literal meaning, reflects selective phenomena in our everyday lives in the form of a section. It also is a mirror which shares the sense of the artist and the audience.

EK: What is the main connotation of the word ‘exile’ for you? Does it mean lifelong status of a refugee, of self reduction and homelessness or, on the contrary, big freedom ?

KCS: Personally speaking, the main connotation of ’exile’ is homelessness. It is my behavior pattern for longing without cause and never-ending longing for freedom. It is also nostalgia about one’s hometown for a being who no longer has his or her hometown.

EK: Do you have any personal experience of exile?

KCS: Generally speaking, you would not call it exile but I had an opportunity to study abroad for 4 years and 6 months after I graduated from the university. During this period, I realized the importance of one’s ego identity and thought deeply over the meaning of everything that was part of me.

EK: What kind of impact has the world of globalization, that evokes people to adapt with new neighbourhoods and emerges cultural backgrounds and ethnicities, on your work?

KCS: For me, globalization signifies confusion over cultural identity and at the same time signifies universal forms of expression of the time. Furthermore, it’s one facet of standardized and universal cultural phenomenon of the age. Through my experiences of living abroad and indirect experiences with various media, the world of globalization was a motive which led to the expansion of the consciousness and the horizon of expression of myself and my works. This in turn has potentially contributed toward my understanding and expression of visual language as the global language. This indeed is one axis in building of my "world of work". Hence, when different cultures come into contact, it leads to an opportunity to produce new values and results in whatever form they are.

EK: Is it necessary to leave one’s country to experience being in exile?

KCS: For what does one must experience being in exile? There’s no need for political or social exile. As a motive for creative work and as a part of our consciousness, don’t we already experience exile for each and every hour of a day’s life?

EK: What does the word nation signifies for you? Does the nation join with concept meaning of yourself when it is dispossessed of traditional characteristics ?

KCS: The word ’nation’ signifies the physical environment where we were born and raised. In addition to this physical environment, consciousness, both innate and genetic, personality which embodies who we are, and cultural environment all belong to the realm of ’nation.’ But, sometimes for the sake of ’the need to act like oneself’ resulting from one’s ’affiliation’, restrictive ultra nationalism can show up. Although the notion of ’nation’ can be interpreted in different ways depending on the time of debate. For me, ’nation’ signifies seemingly natural - a character which seems comfortable to be at oneself, and a factor whose form is distinct from others in showing oneself - and not only tradition which is restricted to cultural stockpiling.

EK: Exile in the private environment – how it connects with the general idea of the exile?

KCS: Exile as a way out of realities which we do not want to confront, a loss of individual identity, an impulse to escape from the reality in which each one of us must carry a cross (as a punishment), personal crises and the limit of one’s ability, and a sense of distance from an environment which is different from others - aren’t these kind of things which drives us toward an evasive situation which we call ’exile’? In the end, ’exile’ signifies a deep-rooted loss and paradoxically speaking, an attempt to find a way to escape, from the very loss and isolation, through each individual’s own way of life.

EK: What kind of ideas and emotions evokes in you the following words:

· communication
· generations
· political violence
· alienation
· multicultural society
· language
· nomadic modus vivendi
· territory – home
· tourism
· bound – boundless
· conquering – seizure – migration
· ethnic epuration – genocide
· crimes against humanity – war crimes
· religion
· solitude
· trauma – pain – oppression
· unconformity – anomie

KCS: The above words I believe, for me and others, can evoke very diverse forms of nihility. Of the words, I have been keen on observing the following words and expressions: alienation, nomadic, modus vivendi, territory, home, solitude, trauma, pain, oppression. These words and expressions drive me to a despair and helplessness. Emotions evoked from the above words and expressions lead me to immerse more and more in myself, escape from the reality and feel lost.
Words and expressions like "communication, generations, multicultural society, language, tourism, bound boundless, conquering, seizure, migration, crimes against humanity, war crimes, religion, unconformity anomie" evoke specific region or incidents. In addition, they all have close relationship with mass media. Today, countless number of ’new values’ and rosy predictions about future are expressed through media. Here, however, exists potential for rather serious distortion and alienation. In another words, what I perceive to be a dangerous situation - media which itself is becoming the power itself - is happening all over the world. Universal values and judgments are being replaced by interpretations of incidents and conflicts. Incidents which are not dealt by the media no longer grab the attention of the audience. This in turn leads to mass production of various forms of alienation and eventually leads to "exiled individuals" who are excluded from the mainstream culture and mainstream economic blocs(the culture and economy which receive the attention of the media). In this context, "exile" can said to be a global phenomenon and a part of a universal "social phenomenon."

EK: Does art possess refugee-like status in the society?

KCS: Yes, from an economic perspective but not from a cultural perspective. In one form or the other, ’art’ took charge of certain social, cultural and economical role. I believe that this will be the case in future too. But, does the role or the meaning of ’art’ must be evaluated in limited or reduced sense according to the times or social conditions? As controversial as this question seems, in the end, the notion of refugee-like status will become a denotation of a drift phenomenon of art in the sense of its ’economical value’ and ’political role.’