Maeng Archive

  Not too long ago, I stumbled upon a batch of old videos while sorting through my archives. These low-resolution SD videos were recorded back in 2012 in Berlin, capturing the creation process of about 100 action paintings I made at the time. Left completely unlabeled with just default filenames, some clips were too dark, and in others, the paintings were barely visible. Yet, tucked inside those raw, grainy videos were the exact moments all 100+ artworks came to life. As an artist who now releases video works every single day, I instantly knew one thing: I had to share these raw archives with the world. The original paintings, born in my Neukölln studio in 2012, are currently held at the Maeng Museum in Kreuzberg, Berlin. There, they continue to stand witness to a vibrant space of improvised music and cultural exchanges. Before any more time passed, I wanted to show the world how these pieces were made and permanently record the photos—taken right after the paintings were finished...

 In 2012, in the then-unfamiliar city of Berlin, I was searching for a way to sustain my life through  music and movement .  Specifically, for three months from July to September of that year, I attempted a new form of work, driven by the rhythms of improvised music and Korean shamanic dance performed at various venues throughout Berlin. I recorded the process of my breathing and recovery on paper—splashing acrylic paint and capturing my physical actions with my feet. It was a daily ritual of "painting with the body." These 100 action paintings became the foundation of the archive titled  Project 4 2[sai:] 2012 .  Thirteen years later, these records have been reborn as the  ' Project-4-2-sai-2012 '  series.  To create this collection, I revisited those 100 original moments. I allowed a random algorithm to crop and rearrange the fragments into 500 new possibilities. From that chaotic pool, I personally hand-picked  30 pieces  that felt mo...

  Everyday is the Practice  is a life-long project that documents the daily practice of physical movements or musical instruments.   These individual recordings are then gradually brought together into a single, completed work. Each video captures a portion of the practice session, which is then edited at various speeds and processed with a range of visual effects.  The purpose of this project is to show that consistent daily practice can bring about positive physical and mental changes, and to create a shared understanding that such practice can add rhythm to life, providing energy and motivation.   Mosaic canvases will be released at milestones such as Days 100, 400, 900, 1600, and more. ▶ Everyday is the Practice (EITP)

 In 2012, during my one year and nine months stay in Berlin, I performed Korean traditional shamanic Janggu music.  I collaborated with Berlin-based improvisational artists to give performances in cafes, galleries, theaters, and on the streets.  While residing specifically in the Neukölln district, I engaged in action painting. While listening to the recorded spontaneous music sessions I participated in, I spread paper—one meter wide and two meters high—on the floor, splashed it with acrylic paint, and danced over it. This process led to the creation of over 100 paintings during a three-month period, from July to September 2012.  These paintings are the result of my personal healing work, titled Project 4 2 [sai:] 2012. ‘4 2 [sai:]’ signifies the Korean word sai, which translates to 'space, distance, in-between, or relationship.' This project was an attempt to express the various tensions, conflicts, harmony, and communication arising within the relationshi...