Shim Jung-ah 심정아
She finished undergraduate at Parsons School and master's degree at Pratt Institute in New York and published her doctoral thesis at Hongik University in Korea entitled ‘Broken Beauty’. Her installation is based on poetic objects and storytelling. Her drawing shows unique features such as burning with an electric iron and using delicate embroidery techniques.
The keyword for her work is ‘Broken Beauty’- the beauty of healing and restoration from broken and damaged things, which is specified as a ‘Stigmata’, ‘Burning Sacrifice’ inspired by Christian aesthetics and ‘Unveiled Face’, ‘Face to Face’ influenced by Emmanuel Levinas’s philo-sophy.
Her 'Stigmata' series was shown consistently in the worship spaces in Seattle and old churches in Wales, U.K. She was invited to Busan Biennale in 2012 and showed Room of Memory: Homage to Poet Yun Dong-ju in an abandoned space at Busan Jin Station. Her latest works are dealing with ‘comfort women’ problem, that express the beautiful presence of 'comfort women' grandmothers who have gone through severe pain and now exist as human right activist. She is currently working as a member of ‘Art Ze-An’ and also a group of christian artists called ‘Art Mission’.
The Snail-eyewitness's Shelter: Heterotopia for Her
Burnt with electric iron and embroidery on fabric, metal frame, glass, clay bird, 300X300X145cm, 2018
Installation
- E-Witness, Women and War, Quartair, The Hague, Holland, 2018
- Shelter For Seoul, 서울도시건축전시관, 서울마루, 2019
2010 - present
screen shot from the video "Re-encountering Her", 5'59''
Inspiration
A Snail as the witness in 'Annunciation' , the painting by Francesco del Casa (15C Italian painter)
“The truth can be contained in the testimony of the weak, and will be appealing in front of God." by Svetlana Alexievich, <Last Witnesses>
'Snail-eyewitness' is the smallest witness, a pilgrim and the artist Shim Jung-ah's persona. She is weak and slow, but constantly moving. With big eyes, she witnesses and responds to the world. 'Snail-eyewitness' is the metaphor of the refugee as well, but she is not the homeless because she has her beautiful shelter of her own and carries it everywhere.
‘The Snail-eyewitness's Shelter' is the large umbrella-shaped tent (230X230x145cm). The refuge where she hides her body, her life, sadness, and pains. The intimate place of blessing where she expresses her painful heart to God and healed by God. The right eye witnesses the world and the left eye sheds tears for those who suffer.
Videos
While carrying 'the umbrella: small version of Snail-eyewitness's shelter', I'm filming what I witness. The lines of the umbrella and embroidered eyes are sometimes visible inside the video frame. 1) ‘She Sings Wild Rose’,5'59”, @ The 1355th Regular Wednesday Demonstration demanding Japan to redress the ‘comfort women problems. 2) ‘Re-encountering Her’, 5’58”, @ Dongduchon Cemetery & ‘Monkey House’ abandoned to ruins where the Korean government in 1960’s imprisoned sexually transmitted women in the U.S. military camp town.
Gallery
Institution | Workshop Name | Instructor
Institution | Workshop Name | Instructor
Institution | Workshop Name | Instructor
Institution | Workshop Name | Instructor