Keywords to Describe Myself : #Individual_Common #Critical_Essayist #Peace_Studies #Diaspora #Minority
Fields or Genres : Literary criticism / Cultural Planning
Location/Platform : Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, Korea
I am a literary critic, a cultural planner, and a researcher specialized in peace studies and diaspora. Majoring in English Literature when I was a undergraduate and graduate, I studied literary criticism and cultural theory and worked at the critical culture studies institute, Center for Cultural Society. I’m interested in social ontology in literary and art works, produced from the speculation of individuals in boundaries such as diaspora and disability. As the organizer of the the exhibition “The Story of Writers (Mun-In-Sa, 文人史)” in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, I was in charge of exhibiting the life and works of Hyeon San Hwang, Wan Suh Park, Dong Yup Shin, and Hoon Kim. I was also a dramaturge of Journey to Diaspora, a play adaptation of a “zainichi” Korean Kyung Sik Suh’s essay.
Other people’s writings, works, themes they are working on, and their work attitudes. I react sensitively to various positive stimuli coming from outside. To write well and to produce good art works, I think it’s essential to be exposed to positive influences.
Rather than perceiving ‘arts (works)’ and ‘education (activities)’ as separate entities, a true teaching artist comprehends that they are derived from the same essence and foundation. A true teaching artist, then, will practice arts education inside/outside of their works and activities based on such understanding.
Boundaries. However, it’s not one particular side of two made from the division that matters to me. Instead, it is that boundary which separates and divides. I think it’s important to delve into the boundary itself, critically question it, and reconstruct it.
‘Colleagues.’ They are people who witness, remember, and testify one another’s works for a long period of time. As you observe in a long term, you will capture the process of how their works are evolving, which is an act of understanding an individual more deeply than anything else.
