Project Details
“Palpable Belongings” started as an artistic exploration of the tangible and the intangible, framed by the lead artist’s personal narrative as a Korean immigrant in the United States. The original installation weaves together the stories of three individuals—the artist, her son, and her mother—through a harmonious blend of text, 3D particles, and ambient sounds to encapsulate their distinct journeys focusing their language and memory. A viewer approaches by touching hand-shaped objects on one of the three podiums in front of a wide projected screen. Each object comprises particles with letters on and the particle groups travel across the projected screen when the connected hand shape is touched by a viewer. Three stations represent each individual’s memory. “Palpable Belongings” becomes a narrative collage that invites viewers to experience the complex interplay of language, memory, and identity. This is the essence of the installation—a duality where physical artifacts and a sense of cultural belonging intertwine, reflecting the layered complexity of an immigrant’s journey.