On the Enduring Fragrance of Expansive Interconnections

If a work exhibited for a specific period is in the midst of forming relationships with various people, is it in progress or in the state of completion? Nanan sought the answer by showcasing 'the existence of a complete self.' Like two-way communication occurring incessantly in a static space, the artist suggests that her own self remains forever, in a sustainable form, even in moments when she is not exposed to anyone.

The work, which retains its site-specific nature, acquires value as a performance art and prompts us to reflect on the numerous events occurring out of sight. While we recognize the events unfolding before our eyes, we often become unaware of the stories that follow and all the actions taken while unseen. Nanan's <Nanan in the Studio>(2023) is akin to a sequel to works that make us ponder the message that everything, from the individual's creations existing in a public space to others being bound as 'us,' is derived from the present.

Recently, it seems that the public nature of art has shifted its focus more on intuitiveness than on sense and experience, on aesthetics rather than the narrative inherent in the work, and on temporary utility rather than continuous harmony. All acts of art performed in a designated place, and the nature of works that are frozen in temporal relationship, are dynamic yet often considered of transient value due to numerous constraints. It falls upon the observer to discern the value and extract personal meaning from these encounters. While the act of perception has the power to forge lasting memories and instill value, artists themselves grapple with the philosophical quandaries of their craft. They navigate the delicate balance between creating lasting impact and the potential evanescence of their work, which may dissipate following a superficial and fleeting interaction.

We have encountered the diverse ways art contributes to humanity through various international public art projects. These include Olafur Eliasson's 'Little Sun Project' (2013), which supplied portable solar-powered lights to people living without electricity, and Joseph Beuys' project from 1982, which converted the concrete-covered city of Kassel into a lush forest by planting 7,000 oak trees. All these initiatives have become seamlessly integrated into our lives, offering benefits without necessarily requiring public participation. Public art is contingent upon a few conditions: it must be in harmony with its environment, engage the public, and possess originality and artistic value, with the public good as its foundational core. Considering these factors, Nanan's work shows the potential for long-term preservation as a public project in various respects.

Nanan engages in painting, performance, and installations, striving to prove and perpetuate the invisible belief in the immortal power through symbols in any form. At the beginning of her exhibition, the 'Long Long Flower Project' opens in a corner of the venue. The artist creates paper flowers to symbolize public well-being and fortune, allowing many who have appreciated the work to take these memories into their personal spaces. While these flowers, designed for 'unfading eternity,' may not carry a scent, the artist's role is to enable us to savor and sustain their visual fragrance. Inspired by a bouquet used in a friend's wedding shoot that had wilted, Nanan, wanting to create flowers that remain unchanged over time, gave birth to these everlasting flowers, embedding them with significant meaning. This project, which started as a light-hearted way to gift memories, gradually evolved and expanded its meaning as the flowers took root in each individual's space. Adapting to environmental changes and maintaining vitality, the existence of these flowers is continuous, though their whereabouts may be unknown. As they adapt and mutate to fit into their settled environment, their meaning is transferred, functioning as a complex whole to attain perpetuity.

 

As the forms of artwork ownership diversify, breaking down the boundaries within and outside the ‘white cube', there was a time when contemporary Korean artists were deeply engrossed in creating edition-objects with the overturned concept of ownership in mind. During this period, Nanan reversed the concept of 'ownership' to expand the scale of her work and adorned Gwanghwamun Square, moving beyond confined spaces. The work attempted to establish relationships with passersby in the square without any specific purpose, converting serendipity into opportunity. Instead of staging in specific places and situations, Nanan focused on the meaning being created, approaching public interest, pleasure, and the concept of a crowd rather than individual existence, not belonging to any particular place but rather to an unspecified group of people. This is connected to her long-held belief as an artist who must pursue the invisible, and the potential for greater influence through destiny tied to site-specificity. Everything that catches Nanan's eye is a practice that solidifies the belief that 'nothing in this world is without meaning.'

 

Just as the small flap of a butterfly's wing can lead to significant changes, the small joy and happiness that Nanan's flowers bring might hold meaning in growing the pie of hope through 'sharing' and 'giving.' In the process that prioritizes the contemplation of the positive impacts and contributions to individual beings, and further to a group, a certain crowd, or even humanity in the future, the first alternative found was the establishment of new relationships.