Untranslatables, 2022

To translate the word han and articulate its nuances in a single English word is an impossible task. Language and its development are deeply intertwined in the histories and cultures from which they derive. In addition to the frustrations with the limits of language, the lack of translation rooted in these cultural differences functions as the starting point for my graduate project, Untranslateables, in which I created pairs of forms that highlight Korean words without English translation. 한 (2021) and Sorrow/regret (2021) was the starting point for this body of work. The juxtaposition of these two pieces on one tabletop highlights my experiences with the frustrations and limitations of translation. Within this body of work, I establish a connection between the translation of gestures through clay and the framework informed by my background. 

Gestural sketches in clay serve as reference material for the final forms that are scaled up in iterations. The process of enlarging the forms requires a technique of building in circles, a method I developed in response to traditional methods of hand building. Rather than having control over the outcome of the final form, I build in circles to become more aware of and respond to the physical presence of the material and listen to the clay. The gestures I make and interactions I have with the clay change as the size of the form shifts. The hand-size sketches on a larger scale become more enveloping, bodily experiences. 

눈치 (noon-chi) tact, awareness, sensitivity. This word is used to describe one’s ability to read the room and act accordingly without having to be told what to do. It also describes one’s ability to tune into someone else’s feelings, thoughts and emotions, to react to a situation.

한 (han) sorrow, regret, collective sadness. The notion of 한 refers to the collective feelings of sadness and oppression that has led to loss of identity. It is understood as a collective sadness that offers solidarity amongst Koreans.

정 (Jung) refers to the emotional bonds that one feels toward another as well as the collective society of Korea as a whole. It is also understood as harmony or coexistence and refers to a form of social bonding found in Korean society.