Rey Jeong - Examination of Race and Gender through Social Practice Art

 

Rey Jeong (courtesy of reyjeong.com)

Today I had the opportunity to hear artist Rey Jeong present a talk about her work. Rey Jeong is an artist working in social practice who's work is focused on race and gender. As a social practice artist, much of her work involves participation with people and involvement with different communities. The mediums she works with include film, audio, choreography, poetry, installation, and sculpture. She was raised in South Korea and is currently teaching at Alfred University in New York. 

Rey Jeong, Cascade Voices, participatory practice

One of the works Rey Jeong presented is her short film titled Cascade Voices. For this work, Rey created a space where people who are marginalized in society can come together to have a conversation. As explained on Rey Jeong's website, reyjeong.com, Cascade Voices featured 18 people from different cultural backgrounds having a discussion about their experiences. Four to five people at a time sit in a circle and answer questions that were asked by the previous group of people. Participants were able to have a vulnerable discussion about race and personal experience with racism or feeling marginalized. Rey emphasized in her artist talk that the relationship between the artist and community or participants can create a power imbalance, so this is why Rey allows participants to lead the discussion, rather than herself. I really appreciate the care and thought that Rey puts into her process, and think that Cascade Voices is an enlightening and important work for people of all backgrounds to be able to see. 

Rey Jeong, Bad Seed, interactive installation

Another work of Rey Jeong's that I enjoyed was an interactive installation titled Bad Seed. This work features line tape drawing and window art in a local brewery. Participants were invited to write a painful memory, secret, or thought on the window to the brewery. This allowed participants to share their "bad seed" with others and let them go. This transformative experience of taking a painful experience, then sharing it with others and turning it into art is a theme in Rey Jeong's work that I find not only beautiful, but a great opportunity to bond with others. It reminds us that the people we see on a daily basis are all experiencing their own struggle that we may be able to relate to. 

Rey Jeong has done many projects in different communities, so I asked her if she has a favorite artwork that she has produced or been apart of. For one of her classes that she teaches, she held a workshop with monotype screen printing focused on appropriation. Contemporary artists are always appropriating from other sources as there is a plethora of images to be seen in today's world. For this workshop, she led a discussion on what is or is not cultural appropriation, and let students examine their reasoning for appropriating certain images. During this workshop, Rey created a monotype silkscreen of a Buddha and said that if she has to pick a favorite work, it may be this one. I loved hearing about this workshop because as an artist trying to make artwork in the twenty-first century, appropriation is something I spend a lot of time thinking about because it can be difficult to know what images may or may not be considered okay to use. I think leading a discussion between artists is an excellent way to gain a better understanding of the topic, and I would love to see the buddha that Rey created in this workshop!

Rey Jeong's work is important in that it enlightens us to the experiences of other people and creates a sense of empathy and understanding. The conversations she initiates through her work create growth within individuals and within their community, so I very much look forward to seeing if Rey will join us here at Sac State!