By Honorary Reporter Volga Serin Suleymanoglu from Turkey

Photos: Kang Ik-joong and KCC in NY

World-renowned artist Kang Ik-joong is working on the Hangeul Wall project for the Korean Cultural Center (KCC) in New York that will feature 1,000 sentences from around the world. Other Korean artists are also participating in this program by writing their life philosophies, mottos and favorite things in Hangeul each with a single sentence. 

The KCC from September will open the completed Hangeul Wall.

The following are excerpts from a May 5 email interview with Kang.

Introduce yourself like how you settled in the U.S. and why you became an artist. 

I'm Kang Ik-joong, a visual artist born in Cheongju (Chungcheongbuk-do Province), raised in Seoul, and having resided and worked in New York since 1984.

Unlike my Korean friends, I didn't feel culture shock when I arrived in New York. Growing up in Itaewon (an international neighborhood in Seoul) near the U.S. Army base and an international market, I was exposed to diversity similar to New York's subway. Meeting foreigners and encountering English-language signage didn't unsettle me.

Then a friend from Korea visited New York and took photos of things I didn't notice despite living here for decades. It made me realize that I was losing my curiosity and enthusiasm for the city. I knew I had to maintain a visitor's perspective to see everything with fresh eyes.

 

I started to see differences like a century-old bridge, and narrow streets flanked by skyscrapers piqued my curiosity and turned my mind into one of art. 

You use a small canvas instead of a large one. Why?

I came to New York to attend Pratt Institute's graduate art program. After paying my first semester's tuition, I couldn't support myself financially and needed to take on multiple jobs. Balancing work and study led me to explore new ways of drawing and painting.

Soon after arriving in New York, I created a small canvas I could carry everywhere. Its size allowed me to paint, draw and even sew on the go. I hoped someday to transfer these images onto larger canvases. I told everyone that the three-inch size was inspired by the distance between my eyes. 

What does it feel like to make a wall filled with love from many Korean culture fans?
It's truly remarkable to witness the immense enthusiasm for K-pop, K-dramas and movies but it's crucial to acknowledge that these represent only a fraction of Korean culture. Without understanding Korean content's underlying essence and embracing nature, we miss out on a significant aspect. 

The power of Korean culture lies in its flexibility, adaptability, and embracing nature as  embodied in Hangeul. If someone asks me about the theme of this wall project, I would describe it as a bowl of bibimbap (rice mixed with meat, vegetables and spicy red pepper paste) with ingredients from everywhere and beyond time.

How did you collaborate with individuals for this wall project?
In 2001, I did a crowd-sourcing project called "Amazed World" at the lobby of the United Nations headquarters building, gathering children's drawings from around the world. We sent envelopes and letters to organizations such as schools and hospitals.

We've transitioned to digital submissions and this electronic approach has significantly expanded our outreach. Launching our website, we promptly began gathering people’s thoughts and ideas.

I hope that this serves as an initial step for engaging with the public and is recognized as a pivotal effort for uniting the world through art. Unlike most walls that divide us, the wall we're creating connects and embraces us.

What message to you have for those who participated or wants to in this project?

I believe that life is like a journey on a train. We all meet, part ways, and board and leave the train, whether with old friends, parents or even beloved pets. Each person has a unique ticket, so even if we meet in Seoul, one might be heading to Buenos Aires while another goes to Cairo.

Today, we gather at the platform of the train station, namely the KCC in New York. Each of us holds a ticket named "Hangeul" in our hands that has a magical power to unite a world torn apart by conflict and greed. You can join the project by clicking the official link. 

msjeon22@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.