Episode 97: Critique
After finishing dinner, everyone went back to their accommodations to sleep.
Only Kang Lim, driven by curiosity, followed the twin brothers to their studio.
Jaiden and Jason were ecstatic that Kang Lim was so interested in their work.
“Haha. Kang Lim-ssi, you have no idea how long it took us to design this space!”
“It must have been hard since you had to set up the space as well.”
“It was difficult, but we’re happy as long as the quality is good. By the way, are you usually interested in performance art?”
“Yes. I do various genres, but I’ve never tried performance art before.”
The twin brothers asked in a surprised tone.
“It should be in the Hanyang University curriculum, right? Didn’t you say you were still a student?”
“Yes, but it wasn’t included in the first-year courses.”
“Oh, right… You’re a freshman…”
The two suddenly realized how young Kang Lim was.
“Haha. I’m a sophomore now. And I find performance art fascinating, probably because I’m not good at physical activities.”
“Everyone has their main genre they excel at! We’re terrible at painting. You need to study hard for that, but we can’t stay still. We get antsy!”
“You two choreographed this yourselves, right?”
“Of course!”
The twin brothers’ studio was literally empty.
There were only two computers and a beam projector.
“First, let us show you the 3D exhibition space we created. This is our latest work!”
Jaiden connected the computer to the beam projector.
A bright screen appeared in the dark room.
“Wow…”
Kang Lim’s eyes widened in fascination at the exhibition space structure. It was designed to create optical illusions.
Paris Heyoume is an art museum created by completely opening up the zero floor of a trapezoidal building.
Because of this, the exhibition space had an open U-shape.
The twins had covered the white space with black stripe-patterned wallpaper.
Depending on the thickness and spacing of the pattern, the flat space appeared to narrow or expand.
“Wow. You used a dazzle pattern. It’s impressive.”
Hearing Kang Lim’s words, the twins beamed with joy.
“As expected, Kang Lim-ssi! You have a lot of background knowledge.”
“Yes. This pattern was used by the British during World War I, right? They painted black stripes on naval ships to confuse the Germans.”
“Exactly! It’s a camouflage pattern. By painting it on, it made it difficult to determine the distance and angle of the ships, helping them avoid attacks. Of course, that was before the invention of radar.”
“You intentionally incorporated elements used in war?”
“Yes. Our signature is to not trust what the human eye sees. We aim to look beyond appearances. We want to reflect on how ignorant we are, controlled by just one sense—vision.”
“The meaning is great, and the exhibition background is impressive. So, what kind of performance art will you do here?”
As soon as Kang Lim asked, Jason ran to the wardrobe.
Jason pulled out a bodysuit with a dazzle pattern and threw it to Jaiden.
The two quickly undressed and squeezed into the patterned suits.
They became human canvases covered in patterns in an instant.
Although slightly taken aback by the sight of the twins in bodysuits, Kang Lim saw their excitement as they said,
“This is our costume! Isn’t it awesome?”
“Wearing this, we will dance. Here’s how…”
They ran to the screen to demonstrate their choreography using light.
When Jaiden stood in front of the beam projector, a shadow appeared on the screen.
Jason aligned his body with Jaiden’s shadow.
The person in front would perform movements, and the one behind would follow.
It was a situation where one person disappeared and became someone else’s shadow.
Kang Lim clapped his hands, amazed at how their bodies moved in perfect sync, wondering how much practice it took to achieve such coordination.
He thought it would be stunning to perform shadow dances in a specially designed space with full makeup.
“Wow… This is really fun. It’s the most impressive performance art I’ve ever seen.”
“Really?”
“Really?”
“Yes, absolutely.”
With just one compliment from Kang Lim, the twins high-fived and danced joyfully.
“Hahaha!”
“Heeheehee!”
“……”
Kang Lim took a step back, slightly overwhelmed by their intense emotional expression.
He realized that one must be able to express themselves physically to do performance art. Indeed, artists align precisely with their work.
“But, will Jason-ssi continue to play the shadow role?”
At Kang Lim’s question, the twins, who had been expressing their joy physically, stopped.
They dropped their long arms and simultaneously turned their heads to look at Kang Lim.
“Kang Lim-ssi, how did you know I was Jason?”
“Kang Lim-ssi, how did you know I was Jaiden?”
The atmosphere suddenly turned cold.
With their faces floating in a sea of patterns from head to toe, it was a bit eerie.
It felt like experiencing both chills and shivers at once, making his mind feel confused.
This wasn’t some AI; what was this situation?
Kang Lim glanced around, trying to gauge the mood.
“Ah… I tend to remember people’s actions and subtle expressions, so I can tell you two apart.”
“…Is that true?”
“It’s really minor things! For example, Jason-ssi’s right ear slightly lifts when he smiles… Things that others might just overlook.”
The twins sighed and sat down.
Seeing them shrink down instantly, Kang Lim was at a loss for words.
They were people who swung between heaven and hell with just a word, expressing all their emotions through their bodies.
“By the way, is it wrong for me to know?”
The twins pouted as they spoke.
“Our identity is based on being indistinguishable, but Kang Lim-ssi uncovered our secret. This has never happened before… How observant are you?”
“Exactly… And if this gets out, people might find us boring… In the art world, we might be shunned as artists who’ve lost their mystique.”
Seeing the two looking so down, Kang Lim laughed.
“Oh, come on. Do you think I would tell? What do you take me for?”
“…Will you really keep it a secret?”
“Of course. I’ll keep it to myself. I won’t tell anyone.”
With those words, the twins sprang up and hugged each other.
They expressed joy by patting each other’s shoulders with the hands that had been clutching their heads.
‘To think it resolved so quickly… They’re really simple-minded.’
The twins ran to Kang Lim, who was still in disbelief.
“Then, please give us some critique. Seeing the work and critiquing it is how we improve.”
“Right! That’s why we join a residency! To share opinions and get advice.”
“Hmm…”
Kang Lim gazed at the space the twins had created.
‘I don’t know how long the performance will be, but as the actions get prolonged, people will get used to the space… It might become a bit monotonous. No matter how much you apply an optical illusion pattern, it’s still a flat space after all.’
Kang Lim took out his notebook and drew the exhibition layout.
With a sharp pen, he added sharp partitions to the plain walls and floors.
The exhibition space became rhythmical, with parts protruding and receding.
On the protruding walls, he drew dense dazzle patterns to make them appear recessed.
Conversely, on the recessed parts, he drew sparse patterns to make the walls appear protruding.
It was where the actual and perceived collided.
He wanted to maximize this point, in line with the theme of the relay solo exhibition, ‘Intersection.’
“Wow… This makes it even more interesting!”
“How can you draw so fast?”
The twins, breathing heavily and swallowing, couldn’t help but exclaim.
Oblivious to their gaping mouths, Kang Lim meticulously drew concentric circles on the floor.
Adding curves between the circles made the space feel like it was sinking and swirling simultaneously.
It created a more dizzying, distorted sense of time and space.
Once his sketch was complete, Kang Lim spoke.
“Human vision is indeed imperfect, but it adapts quickly. A more complex pattern would be better. I’ve modified a few dazzle patterns.”
“Wow… This will definitely heighten immersion.”
“And performing shadow acting continuously would be tiring. Naturally, the performance time would have to be short since everything has to sync perfectly.”
“Yes, exactly! We were worried because the acting time was short.”
“If you make the exhibition space dynamic, you can lean or lie down during movements. How about first leaning against the protruding walls or floor and acting like a chameleon, then later dancing?”
The twins nodded at each other.
Their eyes showed they agreed completely.
“Originally, we planned to do shadow dancing for a short time and then walk around the exhibition. But it would be great to mix it with Kang Lim-ssi’s idea.”
“Yes! I think static movements will add a mystical element. The lively, rhythmic movements will stand out too!”
“Yes. That’s exactly what I want. Also, I don’t know how you plan to use the lighting…”
Kang Lim picked up his pen and started sketching again.
He drew light fixtures on the ceiling and created dark sections within the exhibition space.
The lights moved in a slow cycle.
“When doing static movements, placing a round light in the center that radiates outward would be good. Like a hidden object game, visitors coming into the dark space and seeing you two will be startled.”
The twins covered their faces with their hands.
Indeed, it seemed interesting to direct the light from multiple angles.
As if reading their thoughts, Kang Lim continued.
“After that, for the shadow dance, you can fix the lights as you did earlier. Use different lights according to the choreography.”
The twins nodded eagerly.
Their faces lit up brightly, the expression of someone who’s done a great job.
They whispered to each other. Kang Lim’s sketch was too detailed to be just a simple suggestion.
Jaiden, who had organized their opinion, spoke to Kang Lim.
“Kang Lim-ssi, we’re thinking of remaking the 3D model based on this sketch. May we use it?”
“Of course. Go ahead.”
“We’ll also credit your name along with ours in the space planning.”
“Oh, there’s no need for that. The ideas came from you two; I just added a few things.”
The twins shook their heads firmly.
They had already made up their minds and had no hesitation.
“No, it’s not just a few additions. The overall performance flow has changed because of the space!”
“Yes. Don’t feel burdened.”
Kang Lim slightly raised his eyebrows.
Thinking it over, there was no reason to refuse.
The performance would be in the twins’ names anyway.
He replied in a calm voice.
“Then I’d be grateful. The more experience I have in space planning, the better.”
“Great! You should try stage design later! I think you’d be good at it.”
“Yes. Nowadays, fine artists collaborate with performing arts. Even David Hockney was a stage designer.”
Kang Lim smiled and said,
“Yes. I’ll study various things. Though to be like Hockney, I’d need to reach a film director’s level.”
“You’ll do great. Thanks for the advice so late at night.”
“Yes, you should sleep now. We have a busy day tomorrow.”
Kang Lim checked his watch. It was already past midnight.
He needed to return quickly to tidy up his studio.
The Heyoume Residency was located in Paris’s 6th arrondissement, Luxembourg.
Crossing the Seine River led directly to the Louvre, and to the west, the Eiffel Tower was visible.
The area was famous for its theaters, cafes, and museums, making it bustling with people.
It was also known for its good security, making it one of the most expensive places in Paris.
Shin Hansoo had unpacked at the hotel and visited all the galleries around Heyoume.
The area was densely packed with galleries, making it easy to attract attention from art circles.
However, there weren’t any particularly noteworthy exhibitions.
‘Paris isn’t what it used to be… Maybe because good artists have recently moved to Berlin.’
When he entered a gallery, curators who recognized him became tense.
If he left without writing anything in his notebook, they sighed in relief.
But that was a worse sign than criticism.
People called Shin Hansoo a picky critic, but he only critiqued exhibitions he somewhat liked.
He ignored works that weren’t worth typing about on his computer.
‘Sigh… The residency entrance is on the other side.’
Shin Hansoo walked to the back of Heyoume.
The zero floor had been converted into an exhibition space, with the upper floors turned into artist residences.
He had seen the exhibition space before, but this was his first time going up to the residency.
After verifying his identity with the security guard, he climbed the stairs.
All the artists, including Seoyeon, were standing in the third-floor hallway.
They looked at Shin Hansoo with wide eyes.
“Why is everyone here?”
When he asked, some people avoided his gaze, and Seoyeon answered.
“Everyone gathered because they were curious about Kang Lim’s work.”
At that moment, the door opened, and Kang Lim came out.
Seeing Shin Hansoo, he smiled warmly. He was the only one with a relaxed expression.
“You’re here! Come in. I’ve finished tidying up.”
