Our second artist in residence, Heeyoung Park focused on some very introspective works, and in looking so closely at the self she inevitably brought to life observations about our connections with the nature and universe around us.
During her time at The Branch, Heeyoung hosted a workshop called “The Seeds Inside Us” which offered participants an exercise in finding, connecting to, and illustrating their individual seeds. Perhaps it sounds like pure metaphor, but in this case, the participants literally roamed around a local forest park, hunting for seeds.
On their return, a conversation was held about each person’s seed — and indeed, each person found a different and unique seed, from weeds, grasses, flowers, or trees. The reflections ranged from personal histories to future goals, and many remarked about their feelings in being caught up in a hectic life, and thankfulness for an exercise in slowing down. All seemed to realize how much they enjoy simply sitting in, drawing, and being with nature.
You can see the drawings from each participant below, representing their seeds.
Inside The Branch gallery space, Heeyoung mounted an installation of sound and a single, large scale drawing which she had worked on during her time in residence. It offered a space for quiet reflection, and meditation on the idea of connectedness.
Heeyoung’s installation was accompanied by a piece of simple and yet powerful prose, which we would like to share here:
A little seed holds all the time
from the beginning of this world,
memories handed down from its parents
and those from the parents’ own parents
And all the memories of the living creatures
that created this seed together
One existence means all the others
have existed
Humans are just one of them
and in this too must be memories
remembered deep inside
Memories we have forgotten
The prose, and her work, speaks to a topic quite dear to us; it reminds us, again, to remember what we are, and what we are a part of, and how the small and fragile existence any of us lives, inevitably holds within it the enormity, and the immense power and beauty present throughout the entire universe.
–Patrick M. Lydon
Art & Media Director
about the artist:
Born in South Korea and living in France, animator Heeyoung Park uses traditional hand-drawn methods to shed a hopeful light on contemporary social and environmental issues, not by looking for broad solutions, but by looking to grow the seeds inside each of us.
Heeyoung Park’s residency at The Branch took place 13 April–5 May 2018
See more on Heeyoung’s Website
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More Images from this Residency
