Prologue
The wild flower of the small city.
*Translator & English Editor. Jiseon Park
a scene of ‘Iron Garden’, Sanlim-dong of Eulji-ro, 2017Over the past year and eight months, the stories of 24 artists have come together. It feels as if we’ve lived through 24 seasons of the solar term—each artist embodying their own time and rhythm. As we close this first chapter of "The Story of an Artist," it is the perfect moment to put together what has been shared and recorded.
The artists shared the district ‘Eulji-ro’. Their colors are different, but they had the area as a commonground. Eulji-ro, the old city, the ever-changing city, the city connected with many things, offers spaces both universal and unique.
Aged cities got lots of cracks, much like fissures in concrete. As the suburb of Seoul become more and more developed with new things, time seemed to stand still at the city’s center. In a society where real estate became synonymous with investment, people's interests followed along the flow of money. Broken down concrete, old waterworks, and buildings without elevators couldn’t hold people's attention. Just like that, time paused in the small city, sitting in the middle of Seoul.
Rent was fixed for old streets and building, some even reverted. But ironically, at some point, undervaluation brought new opportunities. As length of day starts to get longer on the winter solstice, unique values started to spring when the small city was at its low.
Artists, drifting in like dandelion seeds, found a place to settle in the city. With their own direction and taste, they sprouted, spread leaves, and blossomed freely in the time-stopped city. The monotonous streets turned into colorful landscapes.
Those who have a rather unusual career as artists loved to stay in somewhat special Eulji-ro. They put down their roots like wildflowers in fertile soil after a long rigid journey. Filling the place with their own colors, they grew closer with each other day by day. The narratives within Euljiro nourished all; and the existence of neighboring ones made them coexist, compete, and enrich their territory.
As the ‘wild flowers’ took up vacant space, the long hibernation of ‘land’ ended. Artists brought back the value of the districts, drawing people to each and every corners of Euljiro and sharing them. Eulji-ro could rediscover its role as the birthplace of new culture.
Over the past nine years, artists and urban centers have found the mutual need for each other. Observing this dynamic, I was inspired to capture their stories. The story of 24 flowers from 17 stems that filled the city with distinct charm starts now.
The table of contents of this book is divided into four main categories. 「Journey to Find Myself」 「Encounter and Connect」「Discoverer of the city」「The World refected 」Looking at what the artists have in common, I found that they can be described as 'a person who shares X' or 'a person who connects X with Y'. They exist above the process of creating and sharing.And they cannot exist alone, continuing their work through relation.
I was able to divide artists into 4 criterias and compare them into a certain wild flower. I hope the symbolization helps readers visualize them, blooming in the cracks of the city.
Violets: those who connect with their inner selves.
Hylotelephium: those who discover new worlds.
Korean Lilac: those who act as a bridge between people.
Wood Sorrels: those who link people to places.
* The definition of artists in this brunch book is as follows.
Artists are those who see the invisible and hear the unheard, thus expanding the area of cognition and explaining themselves. Further more, it refers to anyone who uses media in the realm of art to open up room for communication with others.
