Political Systems

“In the moments when human rights are endangered and certain pre-existing problems are repeated, I realise that I am incredibly concerned by the exposed issues, and it motivates me to take further action. This piece is about a farmer named Namki Baek, who died from a water cannon shot by a police officer in Gwanghamun in November 2015. After this, I became interested in the protests that took place on the streets, especially after meeting Baek’s daughter, who took part in a demonstration in Rotterdam Central Station, completely alone. Street reveals the fractures within incomplete political systems and social structures of power. I captured choreographed movements from dancers who had trained for years as they created a new language in one chaotic instance. It is a study of how to provide critical discussion through subjective and individual gestures as a group. Their bodies broke away from longstanding habits and rituals, evoking a unique type of dialogue.”

Eunhyung Kim’s Street is part of the Aesthetica Art Prize Longlist. The film is screened at York Art Gallery from 26 May alongside other longlisted works. For more information: www.aestheticamagazine.com

Credits:
1. Eunhyung Kim, Street (2016). 
Performance. 3min 20sec