Art purges prejudice for multicultural goal
By Ines Min
With more than 1 million foreign residents in Korea, exactly how multicultural are locals?
“The Last Letter from Huynh Mai” at KT&G Sangsangmadang Gallery, Seogyo-dong, explores the plight of immigrant brides here by taking an introspective look into the perpetrators of prejudice — natives.
The group exhibition of 17 female artists takes the local audience on a journey of self-exploration to reach a goal of educated multiculturalism. From paintings to delicate embroidery, projections and video art, 16 Koreans and one Vietnamese artist purge the emotional process of understanding new cultures.
Inspired by the tragic tale of Huynh Mai, a Vietnamese migrant bride murdered by her spouse in 2007, the exhibition highlights a growing concern about the abuse faced by foreign residents. The title letter refers to her last written words before her death, addressing the problems she faced with her husband and how she had tried to make the relationship work.
Though the launching point was the tale of Mai, other Southeast Asian countries have risen with more cases. Earlier this month, the alleged suicide of Filipina Cathy Deocades, who suffered at the hands of her Korean husband, saw the Philippine Ambassador to Korea Luis Cruz urge for tightened screening processes on marriage brokers. Steps have already been implemented in Vietnam.
The exhibition, brought together by independent curator Kim Ji-hye, 34, seeks to educate from the bottom up. While the exhibition displays a colorful array of cathartic work, the summit of its goals will be in the publication of a children’s book that relays the tale of immigrant women.
“I wanted to send the message that ‘the path we want to live is not so different from others,’” Kim said at a reading of a Vietnamese folk tale in Korean, Friday, at the gallery.
“To be honest, when I first imagined this exhibition, I approached it too simply, too easily,” Kim told The Korea Times, adding that the original plan was just to publish a children’s book telling the story of Mai. The curator traveled to Vietnam in order to meet Mai’s parents, interview them and do research.
“When I met them, I was overcome with not just sadness, but a sincere sense of apology,” she said, adding that a need to represent her own country arose.
But more than turning Mai into a symbol, Kim sought a new direction that focused on the root of the problem. The participating artists (Kim included one Vietnamese artist she’d met in her research stage) widened their own perspectives, finding a more compassionate outlook through their art.
“I became more interested in the subject because in Korea, although there are many foreigners, you mostly meet other Koreans,” said artist Song Yu-lim. “That idea grew and I became more aware of the pain people can cause others.”
Mai Kmichi, a Vietnamese grad student at Seoul National University, read the children’s tale fluidly at Friday’s event. Afterward she fielded questions from the audience of roughly 20, comprised predominantly of younger kids and teenagers.
Though mostly speaking about specific cultural aspects of her native country, such as food and holiday customs, Mai also touched on the greater challenges of integration.
“Hearing other people speak about multiculturalism, I want to introduce my own culture to Korea more,” Mai said. “I think there is still a lack of information about Vietnam, but through outlets like this exhibition people are slowly learning bit by bit.”
It’s far from being a completed process, however. The exhibition, which was selected out a number of prospective shows in the gallery’s annual art competition, at times seems to barely begin to shed light on the sensitive subject.
“There is a lot of focus on condolences for the death of Hyunh Mai, an individual,” said Jamie Joung, an assistant curator at Sangsangmadang Gallery. “But it would’ve been helpful to see more on the overall social issues, the social effects.”
Kim said the completed children’s book is scheduled for publication in May. She hopes to organize future exhibitions on migrant brides in Vietnam.
“The Last Letter from Huynh Mai” will be on display through Feb. 15. Admission is free. For more information, visit www.blog2.sangsangmadang.com or call (02) 330-6223.