ARTWORK / 2017
Baeksa Village, Junggye-dong
중계동 백사마을
The artist returned to Baeksa Village in Junggye-dong after hearing of redevelopment plans and spent a long time recording it in pen. The drawing holds the longing felt among old alleys and empty homes, preserving a moment even as the place faces change.
Artist’s words
Seven years had passed since I first visited this place, drawn by the description ‘one of Seoul’s few remaining hillside villages.’ When I heard it would disappear through redevelopment, I returned and lingered for a while. Perhaps old, weathered things carry an inexplicable longing; the alleys were filled with its scent. Each time I passed the word ‘vacant’ posted on a gate or wall, my heart ached at the thought that even the place in which to feel that longing might vanish. For what makes the heart ache more than longing is the absence of a place where longing itself can be felt.
Over a long period, I recorded the scene of that day, layer by layer, in pen. Even now, looking at the drawing, I seem to catch the scent of an afternoon filled with longing. Yes, it is a blessing to be able to feel even a little of that moment.
Geonho Oh · One Pen, One Heart catalogue, 2024 · English translation