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Eteron (étɛrɒn) n.
On language that erases distinctions Work Index
2021~2023 - Eteron Ex.1 Correspondence (The Lovers, The Unconditional, Time Doesn't Stop and My Heart Rewinds) 2022 - Eteron Ex.2&3 You Are Therefore I Am, You Are Therefore I Am - Eteron Ex.4 +1-747-319-4822 - Eteron Ex.5 And Vice Versa - Eteron Ex.6&7 Hamb, Urger - Eteron Ex.8 The Viewers - Eteron Ex.9 Becoming You 2023 - Eteron Ex.10 I Am I Am I - Eteron Ex.11 The Narcissist (廻光返照) - Eteron Ex.12 Dan S. Elvis - Eteron Ex.13 On the Shoulders of Giants (A Study on the Giant Eteron Named Humanity) 2024 - Eteron Ex.14 Kye(系) - Eteron Ex.15 Chicago Artist Statement
Sep 1st, 2023 5, 4, 3, 2, Eteron, 1. What if there were another integer between 1 and 2? It may be an impossible tale in mathematics, but I imagine a virtual ontological essence embedded in the transition from 'me' to 'you.' Eteron originates from an attempt to address the economic polarization issue in Korean society on the linguistic dimension. Despite the abundance of resources that could sustain all of humanity, there is an enormous waste of food, energy, and materials on one side, and poverty and hunger coexist on the other. I suddenly pondered one day, "Isn't the concept of possession fundamentally based on discernment that differentiates me from others?" If there is no clear object to distinguish as 'me,' the word 'mine' derived from it also becomes impossible. In this regard, the Eteron series comprises experiences that fundamentally disrupt traditional linguistic conventions of clear distinction. I created interactive installation <Eteron Ex.5 And Vice Versa> inspired by the potlatch economy of Native Americans, which is based on mutual giving and gifting. This work spans two galleries, each equipped with lights and switches, but intriguingly, their pairs are swapped. The lights in Gallery A are controlled by switches in Gallery B, and vice versa. The communication between the two spaces, facilitated by relinquishing one's control to others, blurs the lines between 'mine' and 'yours.' Beyond the experience of two distinct entities merging into one, the Eteron series, through its 12th piece, discusses how 'me' as a singular entity can also be perceived as a separate stranger. In the artwork <Eteron Ex.12 Dan S. Elvis>, someone walks through the museum using the pseudonym Dan S. Elvis. Those in the audience who wish to participate in the work can send 20 questions via text message on their phones to discover who Dan is. Relying on questions and hints, the audience searches for Dan. But the Dan S. Elvis they are seeking is, in fact, none other than themselves. In these Eteron pieces, how far can we be 'me' and where can we begin to call ‘you’? Amidst the ambiguous boundary between self and other, Eteron creates discourse and questions about new forms of existence that we had not previously recognized. |
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