Episode 127: Various Attempts
Boudewijn sneaked into the art room.
The empty classroom had a huge sack piled up at Kang Lim’s spot.
“Usually, students reveal their works a week before the presentation… This guy is peculiar.”
Because students install their works in partitions and constantly revise them, art students share their work processes.
As the final product nears completion, a lot of feedback is exchanged, enriching the work.
“Why hasn’t he done anything? Does he hate criticism? Or is he planning to reveal it with a bang later?”
From the bulges here and there, it seemed like solid, angular objects were inside the sack.
Boudewijn’s curiosity became unbearable.
He swallowed hard and approached the sack.
Just as he was about to sneak a peek inside.
Footsteps echoed from the hallway.
“What’s this? Who could it be?”
Startled, Boudewijn hid under the desk beside the partition.
There wasn’t really a need for this, but he suddenly remembered what Shin Tae-min had told him and felt like a criminal.
“I just wanted to take a look. I wouldn’t ruin someone else’s work.”
Boudewijn quietly held his breath and watched the opposite partition.
Sure enough, Kang Lim and Shin Tae-min entered.
“Ah, but it’s funny to submit something made in another class for Professor Alfonso’s assignment. If it were at our school, they’d call it recycling.”
“You recycle exhibitions… French classes focus on the completion of projects, so they don’t mind. Personal development is what matters.”
Shin Tae-min shook his head.
No artist holds a solo exhibition twice a year. There is simply not enough time.
However, preparing for a solo exhibition with new works instead of piled-up ones… What is he plotting?
Kang Lim, recalling the seniors moving their graduation works, said:
“Yeah, as we move up, the boundaries between classes blur, right? By the time of the graduation exhibition, the professors are different, but the work is unified. Because there’s no time for individual work.”
“Of course. The ultimate goal is not to make assignments based on themes but to create one’s own work.”
“Right. That’s art school.”
Kang Lim opened the sack and took out square clocks.
They were all in neutral colors and digital, not analog.
“Did you make all these yourself?”
“Yeah. Made them in Professor Ramses’s class. Ordered them a while back, and they arrived today.”
“Whew… There’s a lot.”
Kang Lim attended a mixed-media class by the Egyptian professor, Ramses.
The class covered various media like video editing, sound editing, and computer programming.
“Though it’s a different direction from Professor Shin Han-soo’s critiques, I can’t just do paintings. I’ve already shown many drawings I did as a child.”
“My dad also knew you’d do this. He said your signature style can’t be confined to one form, you’d transcend genres.”
“Ah, as expected, he’s a professor. This time, I’m experimenting with combining traditional and modern art materials.”
“That’s why you’re taking Professor Ramses’s class. It’s almost coding.”
“No, Arduino is quite easy. You should try it.”
Arduino is a microprocessor, similar in form to a computer motherboard.
However, unlike a CPU that handles only computation and storage, Arduino allows for direct pin connections to various sensors.
“Arduino was made for non-specialists who don’t know much about hardware.”
Kang Lim disassembled one of his modified clocks.
He showed the inside to Shin Tae-min along with the Arduino schematic.
“There are a lot of open-source circuit diagrams. Just connect the wires to the board positions, and you can achieve the desired effect.”
Arduino’s sensors and components are very simple, making it easy to build.
The board itself is cheaper than other devices and works on Mac, Linux, and Windows, making it convenient.
“You only need to learn a bit about entering commands into the computer.”
“…No thanks, you do it.”
“Haha. I find it fascinating.”
“It’s used a lot in kinetic art, moving works.”
“It can also detect and control people’s movements. I find that intriguing. It’s great for installation art.”
Using Arduino in artwork can make lights installed in a gallery turn on when a viewer steps on certain points.
Some artists create flowers that bloom only when viewers look at them, using electronic technology in kinetic art.
“Well, it’s a perfect technology for you. It’s interactive art that directly communicates with the audience.”
“Haha. Right.”
“But why do you express freedom in death? Isn’t that a bit dangerous? What if it glamorizes dying?”
Visual images are powerful. Artists must consider the impact on people.
Of course, that sometimes hinders creativity.
Shin Tae-min knew Kang Lim wanted his works to have a positive influence, so he said it.
Understanding the meaning, Kang Lim nodded and said:
“Thanks for the advice. But you haven’t seen my work yet. Expressing something in words and creating it in visual language produces entirely different vibes.”
“True, you wouldn’t make something laughing and cheerful about freedom.”
“Right. Even adding the adjective ‘sad’ to freedom changes the feeling. Language can be quite tricky.”
“…Indeed.”
“Professor Alfonso probably gave this assignment to show how differently we express abstract language. That’s the essence of visual art.”
“Something that can’t be expressed with words?”
“Exactly.”
Shin Tae-min recalled something his father had told him.
[Don’t always try to create or express something. Just let it be felt. That’s art.]
He felt he might finally understand that now.
“But… Do you really have to speak French even when it’s just the two of you?”
“It’s our residency rule. And practice makes perfect.”
“Strict, huh, heyum.”
Kang Lim chuckled and whispered to Shin Tae-min.
“And we’re not alone here.”
“Who’s here?”
Shin Tae-min followed Kang Lim’s gaze.
Boudewijn’s back was sticking out from beside the desk he was hiding under.
Meeting room at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy.
The judges looked out the window.
The warm weather, a sign of the fast-changing seasons, was delightful.
The fresh sprouts matched well with the red brick houses.
In the height of summer, lush broadleaf trees would line the streets.
Of course, before that, they had to successfully wrap up this book fair, where illustrators from around the world participated.
It was an event that brightens Bologna every year between spring and early summer.
There’s a reason this place is called the cultural capital of Europe.
Kelly, the head judge, was the first to speak.
She was a renowned author who had judged the Bologna Children’s Book Fair for the past five years.
“Everything is sorted. Let’s decide the grand prize winner from the three works.”
The Bologna Book Fair selects about 70 illustrators through rigorous judging.
Among them, the artist who displays the highest level of artistry is awarded the title of ‘Illustrator of the Year.’
It’s the biggest award in children’s book fairs, making the recipient the highlight of the festival.
“Our fair sometimes gets criticism for focusing more on illustrations compared to the Walter Greenaway or Carnegie awards. However, this time we had many works with strong literary qualities, making the judging enjoyable.”
Judge Namie Nonoka, an honorary professor of linguistics and last year’s Carnegie medalist, responded to Kelly’s comment.
“I agree. There were many works with high narrative completeness, not just illustrations.”
The judges nodded with bright expressions.
There were renowned children’s book researchers, including Meloroger, who had won both the Lindgren and Caldecott awards, and Josephine, a graphic designer and Andersen award recipient.
“First, what did you think of
Following Kelly’s lead, the judges took turns giving their opinions.
“Living in a dusty alley yet maintaining pride in its appearance, the character was charming. Other cats mocked it as foolish, but Mio seemed to symbolize an artist enduring hunger.”
“I interpreted it as representing a morally upright person. It’s a fable character made to feel foolish and even hated for being too honest.”
Graphic designer Josephine opened to a middle page and commented.
“The composition of the scene where alley cats point fingers is striking. It feels like several pages of the book overlapped with cutouts. Only the part with Little is hollowed out, making it feel even more shrunken.
The typography of simple lines like ‘A cat’s dignity is at stake,’ and ‘A cat afraid of mice!’ was also good. It’s sharply expressed, like scratching.”
Josephine continued to flip through a few more pages.
“The scene where Mio is betrayed by a baby mouse it met by chance is also interesting. Mio waits, believing the mouse’s promise to bring food from home. As the sun sets, Mio realizes it’s been deceived… The perspective from the mouse’s house looking up at the cat is amusing.
The cat appears enormous, like a giant. There’s a sad expression with the moon in the background, but it looks terrifying to the mice.”
Children’s book author Meloroger nodded in agreement.
“Indeed. Yet, Mio saves the baby mouse’s parents, which is a twist. It’s impressive how they live by helping each other afterward, using discarded ingredients to cook, teaching a good lesson.”
“I think so too. The story has a clear structure and features a lovable character, making it a great piece.”
Everyone agreed with Kelly’s final comment.
However, the judges were convinced that the work
The book tells the story of a grandmother and her young granddaughter living in an apartment.
Because of Kelly’s preference for dark-themed books, they thought it would win.
When the grandmother passes away, no one helps.
There was no happy ending. It just realistically depicted the hard life of the young girl.
“However, it’s unfortunate that
Kelly’s point was valid, and the judges nodded.
Being world-renowned children’s literature critics, their opinions largely aligned.
In fact, all the books that made it to the finals had flawless narratives and illustrations, making any winner deserving.
At this point, luck played a part.
“So,
Just as everyone was thinking the same, Kelly opened her mouth.
“Of course,
Everyone looked up, surprised. What was this sudden change? Had her taste changed?
Graphic designer Josephine spoke up.
“
“Exactly. Last year’s grand prize-winning work on school bullying also ended on an ambiguous note. It highlighted the severity of school bullying.”
Kelly nodded.
“Yes, I used to think so too. Until I read reviews from student readers.”
“Reviews?”
When the judges widened their eyes, Kelly showed them her computer screen.
“Adult readers praised the weighty ending for its crisis and seriousness. But many kids exposed to actual violence said they felt more depressed after reading it. I felt a bit responsible seeing that.”
“Ah… That’s an unavoidable reality. A double-edged sword, so to speak.”
“So, I think
Illustrator Namie Nonoka beamed and said:
“Indeed. That book has nothing but strengths. It felt like an adventure, following Dolly into a spooky town. It was great that her dream of becoming a fashion designer was realized back in the forest. It felt like a blow to humans profiting from turning animals into fur.”
Children’s book author Meloroger nodded.
“Right. The eerie atmosphere was impressively expressed with dreamy colors. The cut-off faces of the townspeople were striking. The vivid fashion and tactile textures were great. It’s also released as an audiobook, allowing visually impaired children to enjoy it too.”
Graphic designer Josephine quickly flipped to a page.
It was a scene filled with sheep with pitch-black mouths, eating black grass with no expressions.
“I was shocked by the scene where Dolly enters the factory in search of cashmere. The sheep lined up on the conveyor belt was striking. The panoramic spread made the cold factory colors palpable. It showed a segment of uniform human society.
The depiction of the hunter’s shadow as a wolf was also excellent. Since Dolly is a sheep, the torn-mouth wolf dripping with greed represents human greed. It gives a very direct lesson to children. The book incorporates various themes.
Belt, faux leather, frills, exotic patterned carpets, coins, and shoes… The illustrations blend various fabrics very sensibly.”
After hearing everyone’s opinions, Kelly clapped her hands.
It seemed like they had reached a conclusion.
“It seems everyone agrees. I also think this story has significant meaning. Dolly loses her initial innocence to greed but reflects and returns to her friends. We need a society where people can come back, feeling regret and reflection. Dolly’s realization was thanks to the warmth of her animal friends.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Then, the star of this award ceremony is…”
Kelly entered the winning work,
Upon checking the artist’s personal information, she realized it was a familiar artist.
A recently famous artist in France had written a children’s book…
Many would be surprised at the award ceremony.
“Oh my, this is a famous person. It’s Kang Lim.”
Several judges who knew him dropped their jaws.
