Blackout Journey, 2024, performance and installation, 700 x 1100 x 500cm space
30min participatory performance, 10min critter performance
This work is a collective performance that imagines an imaginary visit to a humid and odorous writer's refuge located at the eastern end of Bukhansan (mountain), and follows a nonhuman being that they meet there. The performer gropes and searches for something in a dark space that is completely cut off from light. The audience has a special experience of re-cognizing and connecting with themselves and other beings differently through the vibrations of smell, touch, and sound with other senses that have become more sensitive than vision. The audience senses the overlap of space and time, the overlap of particles and waves that become particles only when someone sees them, and the void between particles and waves that we meet.
Blackout Journey Scenario
Entering Introduction in the hallway (3 minutes)
Hello, good afternoon. Welcome to the Caves of Critter Tanga.
I'm your guide.
Now, let's all say hello to each other.
Hello! How are you?
This is Critter Tanga's space. Tanga is a figment of our imagination, but he is very much present here. He lives in this dark place, but he's not scary, and this is where we're going to meet him.
This space we are about to enter is in complete darkness, so for safety's sake, let's establish an order.
(Decide the order of entry) Before we enter, please turn off your cell phones and smartwatches, which can make lights and sounds, and take off your shoes and put any belongings you may have at your feet.
Now, let's go inside. Once you're inside, you can move forward with your right hand on the wall.
Enter the space and lie down on the floor in a lying position on artificial turf floor and rest (4 minutes)
Then enter. Hold the wall with your right hand and notice that there are some symbols on the wall that indicate the direction of this cave that Tanga tells us. Let's follow them and slowly move forward.
Okay, this is a safe space, please use your senses to keep a good distance from the person in front of you so you don't bump into them, and not too far from the person behind you. (When the person in front of you reaches the cat tower) The person in front of you, where do you think you are? Tap the wall to let me know where you are. (Heard) Okay, just a little further on, there should be a floating structure. Don't be alarmed, but let me know if you touch it. (Notification)
Okay, I'm going to ask everyone to stop walking for a moment. Where you are in front of me is the start of the structure. If you grab the structure and reach out with your left hand, you'll touch the thread. I'm going to hold the thread with my right hand this time and move. When everyone else encounters the structure, grab the structure and move to the left to find the thread. If you're at the front of the room, let me know when you reach the end of the thread.