26 Day Archeology_ Solo Exhibition

Title of the exhibition: Park Kyongju Solo Exhibition_ 26 Day Archeology

Term: 2019. 12. 17(Tue) ~ 2019. 12. 29.(Sun)

Place: SeMA storage

Artist talk: 2019. 12. 22(Sun)3Pm (SeMA storage)

Host: Salad Co, Ltd. (www.salad.or.kr)

Technical Support: Seoul Alpine Rescue Team

Support: SeMA

Contact:(02)2254 0517

“If society looks away from truth, truth has no choice but to personify itself and be in front of people.” - Park Kyongju

The artist Park Kyongju’s exhibition on research project of a diary written by a Vietnamese migrant woman. The artist recorded the deceased migrant woman Tran Thanh Lan’s 26 day life by piecing together Vietnamese words that she couldn’t understand as if she had been an archeologist.

Diary written on Feb. 2nd of 2008 firstly appeared in the world beside dead body of Tran Thanh Lan, a Vietnamese woman who migrated to Korea. Total 16 page Diary on both sides of paper contains detailed records of her 26 day marriage written in Vietnamese. Diary with her very fine handwritten letters were 8 pieces of paper with edges torn. Diary was neglected during an initial investigation. On April 2nd of 2008, Diary in incomplete Korean costume had to watch that a defendant was not indicted. In July of 2016, Diary was reborn through 600 page drawing work and changed its costume to perfect Korean through strenuous efforts. Diary filed a criminal complaint again to reveal truth on December 28th of 2018 but the prosecution didn't indict the defendant due to lack of evidence. Diary didn't yield to this result. Diary filed a motion in a High Court just four days before statute of limitations. However, High Court denied the motion on May 25th of 2018. Eventually, statute of limitations ran out four days later on May 29th and Diary was laid to rest. This exhibition was planned to record 16 page truth that Diary wanted to tell the world and to comfort her victimized soul.

About Park Kyongju

President of Theater Salad. Artist. Bachelor’s degree in Department of Printmaking from Hongik University. Diplom’s degree in Experimental Film of Fine Art College from HBK Braunschweig. She founded a social enterprise and a multi-cultural theater Salad and has been working as the president of Salad, a writer, and a director.

The artist covered Tran Thanh Lan’s death in March of 2008 and reported on Salad TV, an alternative media that she ran at that time. She wrote three play scripts based on the deceased’s diary and staged them, and has focused on film production for last five years.

Wok List

1) Title: <26 Day Archeology >

Genre: 16 channel video installation

Material: 16 monitors, super 8mm film & HD video

Length: Each clip is 3 minutes long. A total of 48 minutes.

Director: Kyongju Park

Screenplay & Photograpy: Kyongju Park

Editor: Kyongju Park

Cast: Lorna de Mateo, Urna Uranchimeg, Anima Singh, Long Min

Context: The work shows important scenes of the diary page by page.

2) Title: <Wooden Monument Road >

Genre: Object installation

Concept & Direction: Kyongju Park

Original Text : Tran Thanh Lan

Translation: Vu Thi Thuan (VN), Hayan Jeon(EN)

Embellishment / Adaptation: Kyongju Park

Archaeological research: Kyongju Park

Material: 17 wooden monuments

Context: The audience walks down the wooden monument road.

3) Title: <If the Diary is a Human Being >

Genre: Performance

Performance time: 12:00 ~ 15:00 (Every day)

Live streaming: Sunday, December 22, 2019 1PM, https://www.facebook.com/saladboom

Concept & Direction: Kyongju Park

Performer: Kyongju Park, Lorna de Mateo, Urna Uranchimeg, Nicky France, Glaiza Valdez, Gil Hizon and others

Context: A Living Diary Meets Audience.

4) Title: <2018 Criminal Trial>

Genre: Performance

Performance time: 12:00 ~ 18:00 (Every day)

Concept & Direction: Kyongju Park

Performer: Oklan Kim

Context: The performer reports the investigation results to the audience.

5) Title: <Tran Thanh Lan's Diary Laid to Rest>

Genre: Audio Book

Length: 60min(KR), 45min.(EN)

Concept & Direction: Kyongju Park

Original Text : Tran Thanh Lan

Translation: Vu Thi Thuan (VN), Hayan Jeon(EN)

Embellishment / Adaptation: Kyongju Park

Archaeological Research: Kyongju Park

Voice actor: Yongju Ha(KR), Jacllou(EN)

6) Title: <Lan's Diary>

Genre: Script Book

Author: Kyongju Park

Date of issue: December 9, 2019

Publishing company: Book Publishing Play and Humanity

Table of contents: Lan's diary(2011), Lan's diary update(2013), Statute of limitation(2018)