Imagination, Body

The following show is a work selected for the online content production project '2021 Korean traditional music artists lab' organized by the National Gugak Center (National Gugak Center, work selected for the '2021 Korean traditional music artists lab' project) .

[Presentation of the show]
'Imagination, Body' intends to launch a message that does not consist in simply overcoming physical pain but in sharing them by connecting us with each other. By exposing our 'afflicted body', pains that damage the body while living in a health-based society are highlighted. The three artists express the language of this body through the Janggu (Korean traditional instrument), the painting and the Ajaeng (Korean traditional instrument). These three elements will come together during this representation of abstract and difficult to counteract pains.

[Interpretation of the work]
'Imagination, Body' intends to launch a message that does not consist in simply overcoming physical pain but in sharing them by connecting us with each other. By exposing our 'afflicted body', the pains that damage our bodies are highlighted while living in a society that promotes health.
"Naked appearance", on the other hand, is a show that focuses more on the female world and on the 'naked aspect of society' that oppress women, representing the menstrual pains of the latter. This work was born from the personal experiences of the composer / choreographer who wanted to share her pains through the Naked Appearance.
Thus, focusing on physical pain, the work 'Imagination, Body' was also born, which includes and represents pain in a much broader context.
The show is divided into three parts. The first part is entitled 'Facing your body' and is a phase in which the pains our bodies suffer from are represented. Through many researches and workshops it has been possible to connect different tools such as the painting, the Ajaeng and dance to express pain. The second part is entitled 'Understanding the world through the painful body' and conveys the message that we must not adapt our body to the needs of society but we must live by satisfying its desires, that is, to build an ideal coexistence with our body.
Also from the musical point of view, not only the pain was expressed but also the desire to live with one's body using rhythms that were not too fast. Furthermore, the choreography has been adapted in such a way as to limit the movements of the lower parts of the body to emphasize the physical pain.
In the context of the painting, however, the pain was expressed with strong points and lines drawn on a canvas. The canvas represents the 'forest' where many trees, all of different appearance, coexist and contains the message that, just like these trees in the woods, everyone can coexist within society by sharing their pains. This is the imagination that this show wants to offer.

[Cast and production]
Director: Seong Hee Ju
Cast Seong Hee Ju (Janggu, dance)
Im Ji-Na (painting)
Park Jun Hyeok (Ajaeng)
Composition: Park Jun Hyeok and Seong Hee Ju
Shooting and editing: Kim Se-Hyeok
Choreography: Seong Hee Ju
Production: Seong Hee Ju
Sponsor: National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts