by HAEIN JUNG
Exploring the tragedy of separation from the Korean War, the Korean Cultural Center in Washington, D.C., is presenting a new exhibition of contemporary works by artist EunSook Lee, known for her innovative, illuminated installation art.
The South Korean artist’s The Spirit of Peace and Healing: Out of the Trauma of the 6/25 War is now on view until July 30.
The work features illuminated fluorescent light installations, and interwoven through them are various materials ranging from thread to fiber to polyester, which are then engulfed by black lighting and highlighted by an electrifying fluorescent color palette. Also incorporated into the installations are the narratives and photographs of soldiers and wartime victims.
This particular work of Lee’s is quite personal; her father, originally from North Korea and escaped to the South, passed away without ever having the chance to reunite with the family he left behind. With the exhibition, the artist attempts to inspire a peaceful reunification between the brother countries and also honor those affected by it.
“I created a light installation with threads that will light up to reflect on the hope of peace against war and the memory of war crimes from the Korean War,” Lee said in her artist’s statement. “This project contains stories and photos related to war and of families of victims who sacrificed during the Korean War, as well as during World War II. I hope that my work functions as a ritual object to heal the deeply internalized and traumatic memories and scars of war.”
Lee’s previous work has earned her international attention, with one of her most notable installations, the 2007 “Vanished Berlin Wall,” also involving the themes of division and reunification. The transparent art wall was featured at the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, Germany, and incorporated the names of 5,000 Korean separated family members.
In an interview with Blouin Artinfo, Lee talked about how moved she was upon seeing the reaction of Berlin citizens to this installation. “People said that when their city was divided, they had stood in that very spot, uncertain if they would live or die,” she said. “Hearing those kind of stories moved me. I want my next work to include Korean history, so that everyone in Seoul who sees it can be moved.”
In 2013, for the 60th anniversary of the end of the Korean War, Lee unveiled Calling out Names of Families Separated during the Korean War at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the city of Paju, South Korea.
For more information on the Washington, D.C., exhibition, visit www.KoreaCultureDC.org.
Top image: Lee’s “Vanished Berlin Wall,” 2007.
