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[insert] American

These images are born from the feeling of alienation I associate with my home state, Virginia.  This land is the religion and God of blind followers of patriotism.  Where they see beauty, I see privilege.  Where they see pride, I see arrogance.  Where they see all-American, I see racism.  These hills are my home, but I am not satisfied with them.  So I distort them.  Cut them.  Break them down and build them again.  I do this to exercise the responsibility I have to shape my land and reality.  Terraforming a new space out of the old.  Build upon some hills, and break apart others.  Always looking back and reflecting on what has been created.  This land is also my religion.  I reclaim my right to define my space.  And at the end of my experiment, I seal my thoughts in epoxy and time.  In hopes they become an eternal documentation of the ephemeral thoughts of one.  Perhaps they will stand for other builders to take note.

 

The richness of rural Virginian landscape, informs [insert] American.   Layers of trees, rivers, lights and sky reflect the sublime qualities of the lovers' state.  Sublimity in American visual culture is used to suggest morality, power, religion and grandeur.  By utilizing this common troupe, [insert] American confronts tradition by using a familiar language.  

 

The goal, however, is not to affirm the cliché mantra of American superiority.  Instead, ideas of reinvention and rebirth come to the foreground.  Each composition combines photographs of Virginian sights with screenshots of South Korea (via Google Street View), and generated 3D assets.  The fragmentation of each composition reflects the desire to remake my space, and the dissatisfaction with oppressive idealism. I protect and utilize my ability to add to and shape my environment.  As a second-generation Korean-American, as a gay man, and as a minoritized person, these faculties are invaluable to me.  The land is also mine, therefore I have the right to make it safe for me as well.

Digital images

Mozilla Hubs Virtual Viewing Space

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