spheres in mullae-dong

Spheres (part I) is a site-specific project based on a particular place. Not only does it have social and histori- cal purposes of that certain place, it also begins from various personal memories and emotions connected to those purposes organically. Interpreting it musically and visually to form an unfamiliar and new place is what this project is all about.
The first site-specific project series was A. Intermission, a project themed on a previously DSC (Defense Security Command) building located in Sogyuk-dong, which has been introduced through the Platform in Kimusa exhibi- tion in 2009. The second of the series, Spheres, is based upon the built-up small industrial area formed right after the Korean independence, Mullae 3 Ga, and its surround- ing areas. These areas have become a new place of interest as they have become publically known as Seoul Art Space Mullae.
Smartphones, widely used these days, are applied as a music playback device to Spheres, which will take place outdoors. Different from previous public projects in music only capable with limited space and time, Spheres allows participants to be involved in the project with their smart- phones at all times, also having an advantage to transfer a public project into a private experience. Participants can join the project starting with downloading the appli- cation ‘Spheres’ made especially for this project. The application uses a GPS map to guide participants to six specific locations, where the provided music list is played once the participant arrives at each location.
To make progress with Spheres as a reminder of an old city through a place called Mullae-dong, we have decided to make an approach with the below. In this project, we are to be in a position on where we are not either part of or even strangers of the Mullae-dong area. Our intention is to make listeners not sit in superficial emotion while looking at the old industrial area nostalgically, and at the same time prevent them from sinking and getting used to the special interior.
There is also a need to pay attention to the fact that the various art activities taking place about the Mullae-dong area are not considered ‘art’ to everyone. No visual devices were added to interrupt the local people’s lives residing in Mullae-dong under the name of Art. We believed we could make this area called Mullae-dong itself completely capable of appreciation.
Conclusively, we prepared a special environment for listeners to participate actively and spontaneously. Appreciating the music doesn’t end by just listening passively to input music through its application. As the listeners go about Mullae-dong, they will enjoy the view of the area with a polyphonic soundscape of surrounding environmental sounds, such as trains, machines, etc., overlapping with the provided music. In addition, this appreciative experience will be distinct and special towards each listener according to situation, such as weather, time, and location during the visit of Mullae-dong.
Through such appreciation, various memories and emotions of each person made through this particular place called Mullae- dong are revealed, not the area’s historic, cultural, or architec- tural definitions. We hope that through this prism called Spheres we can make Mullae-dong, a space of unfamiliar routine, unfold the memories and emotions of everyone who comes and goes.