The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC) and Culture House proudly present The Day After, an exhibition featuring six digital video works by Ivetta Sunyoung Kang, Su Hyun Nam, and Jayoung Yoon. The exhibition is on view from September 18 - November 20, 2021, and is open to the public each Saturday from 11 am – 2 pm. No appointments are required.

The Day After examines the spatial, emotional, and physical effects of the unexpected changes to life and the environment brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Korean media artists Ivetta Sunyoung Kang, Su Hyun Nam, and Jayoung Yoon explore several key themes of this globally shared experience: relief from anxiety through the connection of body and mind, the preciousness of the mundane and ordinary life, and the relationship between the mind and matter. The Day After seeks to provide an opportunity to heal trauma caused by the pandemic and to discover new perspectives on life in its wake.

This exhibition is presented alongside Crane Dancers, a large-scale outdoor mural by Korean-American artist Julia Chon (also known as Kimchi Juice). Chon’s sweeping outdoor mural is a new reinterpretation of the traditional Korean symbols of longevity infused with a colorful pop art twist. Together, these two exhibitions occupy nearly the entire art space at Culture House, a vibrant and unique arts venue located in Southwest Washington, D.C. dedicated to creativity and community. 

About the Artists

Ivetta Sunyoung Kang attempts to alleviate anxiety and uncertainty through physical and emotional sense activities that harmonize body and mind. ‘Tenderhands’ is a visual record of this effort, incorporating 40 performances of daily writing as a poetic means of exploring how notions of the human hand have changed during a time of social distancing. ‘Proposition 1: Hands’  is a single-channel video work inspired by a Korean children’s game, the name of which approximately translates to “making electricity with hands.” It reminds us of the significance of tactile, manual communion in our daily lives, as found in the sensation of warmth when touching one another’s hands. 

Su Hyun Nam creates digital landscapes by restructuring and pixelating the diverse and complex moments of life that are inherently shared in a city. The composition of intertwined and segmented scenes embodies the intersecting and overlapping of space and time, evoking a familiar yet strange tension. The collective urban images in ‘Metamorphosis’ and ‘Woven Milieu,’ both single-channel video works, speak to the beauty and meaning of our mundane lives that often go overlooked.   

Jayoung Yoon investigates memory, perception, and bodily sensation by utilizing human hair as a primary medium that symbolizes immortality in her works. By visualizing cleansing thoughts and negative emotions through materiality and process, her works ask us to reconsider our perceptions of life and death during the COVID-19 global pandemic. The skull sculpture in ‘Dreaming of life,’ a single-channel video work, is hand-knotted with the artist’s own hair, reflecting on the temporal nature of life. Yoon positions her body as a subject of perception in the center of her work ‘Reflections in Mindfulness,’ a performance-based video, allowing nature to flow around her and inviting the viewer into a ritual meditation that awakens the inner self.

The gallery is open to the public from September 18 - November 20, 2021, and is open to the public each Saturday from 11 am – 2 pm and by appointment. For the safety of our community and staff, all staff and visitors will be required to wear a mask. A maximum of ten visitors will be allowed at a time and must sign in before entering the gallery.