Memories, Veiled — Sun Young Kang

Memories, Veiled, YI Gallery * Reviewed by Susan Moon, Calla Bai

2024, Inkjet printed (by Buffalo Big Print) photographs on Ultra Smooth Fine Art paper mounted on wooden frames, Organza, custom-made stainless steel frames

By using large curtains as partitions throughout the gallery space, the installation creates distinct sections and invites physical and emotional engagement from the viewers. A collection of small photographs, taken during Kang's residency last winter at the mansion of Yaddo in Saratoga Springs, NY, is suspended from the ceiling and hung on the walls. These photographs, some overlaid with fabric, come together to form an immersive spatial experience and also allow viewers intimate interactions with each photograph. Inspired by a picture capturing the artist's late mother almost tied in her bed, all covered by translucent plastic curtains, this project represents Kang's visual exploration of the room within the mother's mind during her final years, when she was isolated due to Alzheimer's and the pandemic. It reflects her sense of isolation, longing, and struggle, as well as the uncertain reality and confusion she likely experienced. Additionally, it serves as a visual contemplation of the artist's own recurring dreams and the feelings of being unable to communicate, access, or understand her mother during that time.

In Memories, Veiled (2024), a series of framed photographs are covered and wrapped with semi-translucent fabric. The photograph as a medium, serves as a bridge for visual interactions, originally captured through the artist's eyes, and are now perceived by the audience through their own eyes. The mansion, a recurring motif in every photograph, represents both the private and the public, inviting yet isolating. Laden with a history of grief and loss, it carries the weight of memories and the longing for connection. It serves as a visual anchor, encompassing not only the physical space but also the layers of emotions and narratives intertwined within it. The deliberate gesture of overlaying photos with organza fabric obstructs visual perception, encapsulating the emotional weight that permeates the space. The visualization of the unapproachable realm of time and space creates a sense of distance and mystery.

Viewers are invited to experience the frustration, uncertainty, and inaccessibility depicted in the exhibition. Kang seeks to evoke a shared sense of longing and the desire to find answers. Through the use of curtains, a transparent fabric that adds to the ambiguity, viewers are placed both inside and outside. Together and alone, they become part of the project's scene, experiencing what others have experienced. As viewers navigate the exhibition, they find themselves in a state of isolation, despite their physical presence among others. They encounter visual inaccessibility and the constant search for clarity. The lack of clear vision invites contemplation of themes such as isolation, uncertainty, and the struggle to understand and be understood. Curtains, in their multifaceted nature, symbolize both passage and separation, creating scenes while simultaneously hinting at what lies beyond. They obstruct and suggest, cover and reveal, embodying the complexities of the human experience.

photo by Yi Hsuan Lai and Sun Young Kang, Eric Boyer, courtesy of YI GALLERY