Statement about plastic glove

I wish to create works that bring comfort to myself or to someone. In order to do this, I had to make the talisman.It is a meaningless ordinary object, but it could secure from misfortune or bring luck to someone. What makes this feeble belief? Is it possible to bring such ideal?

People hang disposable plastic gloves filled with water at traditional Korean market to repel flies. It is wisdom of life using reflection and refraction of the transparent water and fly’s compound eyes. In fact, flies are around the market even there are hanging gloves, but the gloves still are hanged there as some sorts of superstitious medium. Similar to gloves, there are scarecrows. Often we spot scarecrows standing at the farm fields. They exist there to scare the birds. However it seems to be the perfect spot for birds to hang out and rest on. Yet it still stands there as a symbol for farmers to trust their security. Putting up scarecrows are now part of the cultivation. Scarecrows and birds. Plastic gloves and flies. Despite advanced technology and appliances, these inheriting trust is irreplaceable beyond its function.

How plastic gloves are still present? Probably, it is inheriting as a lucky charm in its shamanistic and superstitious purpose. Merchants could expect more and have more customers when they have less flies with the gloves. It is superstition. There are no legit records on it but it is still continuing as custom. I am trying to transform it and create a viral icon in the wider world. My big ambition begins with a small step.

I happen to have an idea that the belief could be built through repetition, history, and exposure. Personal belief is survived and inherited to our environment over the time. It is essential to create repetition and history in a way that the ordinary plastic gloves have become a symbol to the people at the market.

First, it has to be repetitively installed and shown as a talisman. Repetitive scenes at various spaces (country, place, time) would be the first step of “Snowball Effect” like those people at the market started to hang the gloves after someone. The Cross is the similar example. This form made of two intersecting lines were used as death scaffolds in ancient Rome. However, after death of Jesus Christ, the Cross transformed and left as a symbol of belief, sacrifice, and Resurrection because people kept the meanings since then. If I have this process, my start could bring consent from people.

Secondly, it needs history. Symbols from the past are easier for people to take with less discomfort. All the old symbols around us possess some belief caused by sedimentary time. The hanging gloves are not bothering my eyes because it has been used that way for a long time. In order to make the gloves as the symbol, it requires to have nature of history. We happen to trust or have belief in things with visible past. My plastic gloves could become a history if its history starts now and repeats.

Lastly, exposure is important. Even if it has history and repetition, it could be less realistic from distance. This being so, we need easy access to be physically close. To make this happen, it needs platform as one brand. I am planning to apply D.I.Y (Do It Yourself). In general, people who collects limited editions to create their fashion personality have trust in their purchase. Through this action, it could be around us before our awareness and could be handed down in stories like scarecrows. Exposure at galleries, museums and as a merchandise beyond public art could help building up recognition.

In order to possess three effects introduced above, my history production is in progress through repetition of continuous installation and photoshoot. Photographic archives become evidence to prove belief and this makes a history. Produced in various sizes and materials becoming not only frames but also fashion or interior accessories, the gloves can be our talisman of protection in our daily lives.

My practice with gloves would become a trustworthy symbol to those who experience it, heard about it and are aware of it unconsciously. Based on this foundation, I am hoping to virally spread my belief and interact with wider audience. Like the rain calling ceremony which never stops until it starts raining.