2009 NOVEMBER / VOL.5
NEW MEDIA ART ON BUILDING EXTERIORS
INTERVIEW Ah-Ram Kwon
COVERSTORY
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NEW MEDIA ART ON BUILDING EXTERIORS
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What is the current look of our city today?
Before the modern age, building exteriors
Through the rapid economic and techni-
were used and identified only as a sup-
cal development, the major cities in the
porting structure of the body. Thus it was
world has graduated from its one dimen-
not independent from its entire composi-
sional design and has entered a third, or
tion and its materials’ usage. Perhaps
even further dimensional space—and we
that is why the architects of those times
are witnessing such change with all five
concentrated more on its interiors, which
senses. Just with our eyes we can tell in
allowed them to express and experiment
the darkness of the night what a glow
freely, contrary to the outer part of the
some of these distinct buildings in the city
piece. But now through the development
can produce. So how are these build-
of technology and cultural and societal
ing façades changing in relations to New
value’s recognition, architects started
Media Art?
seeing new possibilities in visual and
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BIX, Austria, 2003
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sensual appeals of building facades. So
been dealing buildings as its canvas. This
as the representation of building facades
states that artistic progress is influencing
itself went beyond modern architecture,
the transformation of the architectural or-
it became a object of design and expres-
der and that New Media Art, which stands
sion, transforming into a work of Digital
in the center of 21st century’s art world, is
Media with the support of IT technology’s
making an important contribution.
development. Such kind of phenomenon cannot be only be observed in architec-
In the early stage of building exteriors, it
tural point of view. Artists who refused to
was simply used for informative purposes
limit their imagination on two-dimensional
by offering important daily news or weath-
canvas have turned their eyes to the cit-
er reports to the public. But architectural
ies—where we live our lives. For example,
New Media Artists have used LED signs
New Media Art, which uses the diverse
to invent a new type of signs that opened
materials developed by technology, has
them to an infinite options in expression
Ars Electronica, Austria, 2008
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and imagination; some examples of those
Media Facades, which are still in its experi-
newly invented LED signs are able to react
mental stage, could possibly be a key fac-
Uniqa Tower, Austria, 2006
to the weather in most sensitive level such
tor for the future design for architectural
Galleria, South Korea, 2004
as the wind strength or the brightness of
design. Yet majority of the Media Façades
the day. Such inventions are called Media
that are building in progress seem only to
Facades and Media Skin, and year after
be a part of a temporary trend. Plus the
year these art works are gaining interna-
fact that it is used more for a commercial
tional popularity that through events such
purpose instead of a cultural or artistic
as Media Façade Festivals. Media Facades
way is a bit unsatisfying. In South Korea
have allowed building exterior expres-
Apgujungdong’s Galleria department store
sions to become not only very dynamic
and last year’s Gum-Ho Asia’s building
but also a key factor in the identity of
set up their own New Media Art facades,
building itself.
attracting the public’s attention but end-
[TOUCH] Dexia Tower, Belgium SPOTS, Germany, 2005 [Twists and Turns]
ing up being used simply for commercial
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purposes. But a lot of the companies are attempting to gather artists and architects from diverse fields to experiment with Media Facades. Their projects will be able to familiarize the public with communication through building facades and also add new life to our cities.
Allianz Arena, Germany, 2005
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Aspire Tower, Qatar, 2006
KOREAN ARTIST INTERVIEW
AH -RAM KWON
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Wondering about endlessly for Her Very Own Quest
Ah-Ram: Hello, this is Kwon Ah- Ram. Currently I am working on painting, performance, visual media and other independent works to create my own outlook on the world. AliceOn: In expressing your ideas and through practice, what message are you trying to deliver and what are you interested in? Ah- Ram: My works are mainly inspired by my own inner vibration instead of outside influences or story-telling. The world we exist can all be explained as a type of vibration in today. I put my focus on the fundamentals of an organism and I try to capture the vibration that comes within its core instead of forcing a voice on the subject — its own music. I also interpret the visual form of an object as a type of vibration sent through light. My current mission is to search what type of a vibration I am, and how it responds to other vibrations and how the relationship forms. AliceOn:
<Self-portrait 10, 2006, scan image
Since you are known as a New Media artist and are working in
Korean Artist Interview
that field of art, how do you think of New Media Art or Media? Ah-Ram: New Media Art can accurately interpret the distinct characteristic of this era. Also it’s an ideological space beyond our daily reality. It’s exact definition cannot be seen visually, yet it has given us artists new ideas and possibilities. Through New Media Art we are able to redefine ‘relationship’, and have learned how to control time and space freely. AliceOn: Through what experience did you end up choosing media and photos as your medium? Ah-Ram: Images are able to tell more stories than my self, who exists in this world, can. ‘I’ that exists in the material world float on through vibration and disappear eventually, <-
whereas the ‘I’ that exists in the
Self-portrait 08, 2006, scan image
image expresses the past record of self that I no longer have along with that momentary emotion that I can endlessly explore. I work with those images and study about those images and through working
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with a scanner I am pushing that
lets you deform the body structure
process. The ‘I’ that is produced
through use of time and move-
digitally is like the self within the
ment. My works are still like my
real self that I pulled out. I some-
self-portrait series which explored
times look like I am acting as I
my inner self. The world of ‘I’ that I
tell a different story in every other
don’t fully understand yet has been
photo. If a mirror reflects the outer
the foundation of my work.
form of self, my scanner tells the inner reflection. Media is another
AliceOn:
way to express myself and it is hard
What is your plan for the future?
to expect further. Works such as <In The Mirror> or <Coevolu-
Ah-Ram:
tion> is a transformed image that
<Coevolution> was invited to
scanned the moment of an action,
the FRESH (video art and other
exploring the new possibilities of a
short independent film festival) in
vibrating image.
Bangkok. Also I am planning on a private exhibition.
AliceOn: I didn’t realize that the two were not digital video image but a work produced from scanning. The different between a photo and a scanner is that a scanner allows you to intercept while it is producing an image while the other produces an image that is completely separate from your influence. Ah-Ram: Yes, <In The Mirror> or <Coevolution> are both moving images made from scanning(by a scanner). When a photo records <-
an image of a moment, a scanner
Self-portrait 09, 2006, scan image
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