I was in Korea for two month and after Global Nomadic Art Project 2014, stay one month more for Yatoo residency. I had some project for residency but prefer to choose a project about Love. So I chose a story about Love from Iran and one local story in Korea. Korean people call this story: “Kongkakgi” and I found it in Korea. They believe when somebody falling in love, he or she being blind and shape of bean is symbol of cover the eyes. First I bought my material and start for welding the structure. I made a metal structure, welding this structure took about ten days because I was cutting the metal part lonely and bending them after that, and usually cut the trunks at the end of the day. I was usually working from 7 am to 8 or 9 pm and just spending only one hour for eating and rest in the afternoon.
At the first part of residency, I had nice moments with Diana Radaviciute because she is great Lithunian artist and we talked every day after lunch about art, philosophy and our country. Also some days, I went to nature and jungle around Wongol with bicycle.
After two week I decided to go to Seoul through my residency and spend 2 days there. The first day I visit the city and the public places, and spend the second day to visit galleries and art museums with my dear friend Hyron and her husband…. . The exhibition of Do-ho Suh the famous Korean artist was more interesting for me. Also watching Shirin Neshat artworks in the Seoul contemporary museum of art and hearing the Iranian song that was surprising for me.
After returning from Seoul when I reached Gongju Mr. Lee Came to me and said there is party at the residency site and it is not possible to work there so you have to come with me to another city. I went to the other city and to that artist studio while I was surprised. Preparing Iranian food and met the teachers who had demonstrated against the government because of the student who was drowned in the cruise ship accident was the things happened that night. And Mr. Lee generously took back me to the residency site in Gongju.
I had to cook for myself during the residency and I was making Iranian food every night with the minimum facilities I had and some days some the Korean friends invited me as a guest, one of my favorite restaurant was next to Wongol, this one had just meat and liver with Soju as a drink.
Korean restaurants are wonderful, the little colorful tables was are changing up to 17 times and most of the dishes are sea foods with vegetables I think everyone could be satisfy with that, the only one I couldn’t stand was raw fish.
The last days of residency with Opening of my solo exhibithion passed very quickly and the huge installation I was making was unfished but I achieved to make it with the contribution of Mr. Ko and Mr. Ri. The opening was on a rainy day and I did “write Iran for 1000 time” performance. In the performance I was writing a part of Shirin and Farhad (a love story by Iranian poet Nezami). And about Love Bean Installation, I made this installation and interactive piece that audience can throw the bean with closed eyes and touch inside and find some word in Persian and Korean language. It was a really good day.
