Disillusion, the initial stage of growing up

Dream and desire can be the most valuable and unforgettable secret and delight when a boy turns into a man. But the artist, Shin Ki-Woun, is trying to destroy the images, figures, belongings and belief.

The studio of the artist is like a destruction factory full of different size self-designed machines, which can grind almost anything from tangible into formless powder. As the novelist JD Salinger in his book The Catcher in the Rye : “What I have to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff— I mean if they're running and they don't look where they're going I have to come out from somewhere and catch them. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all. I know it's crazy, but that's the only thing I'd really like to be. I know it's crazy.” The artsit knows it's crazy to warn boys and men not to make their daydreams. But he is still like a critic showing us how we live in a world, where is congested with fantasy and unreality. The viewers are compelled by the artist to confront the truth. Is it the cost of obtaining the life experience? Or is it the loss of “Age of Innocence”?

Superman, spiderman are the idols of boys or the most of men’s childhood. Those figures remind the viewers those joyful and precious time of past, when boys can escape from the reality to fancy. The icon of hero and freedom is ruined by the artist in sudden even the music is playing with “What a wonderful world” and “In the mood for love”. There is no more enjoyment of ease and comfort. The artist pulls the actuality in front of the viewers brutally.

Those works testify that the power that is responsible for the formation and destruction of contracts is held within language. Shin is not like Vito Acconci and Marina Abramovic, who utilized their own body's public and personal identities as a primary material to create a mental space for social awareness using both sadist and masochistic concepts within their art forms. He chooses different icons and idols representing himself or most of men’s childhood. The artist stands behind the monitor questioning the viewers where the value of one’s life is. “Where is the memory?” This is the big question from artist.

The clock was ground into dust as well. “Time” was not running until it was destroyed. Can one stop the time for running? On one hand, we are reminded to grow up instead of remaining in the past; On the contrary, the artist is trying to stop the running time and to keep the age of innocence. The word “Time” is defined as “a nonspatial linear continuum in which events occur in an apparently irreversible succession.” Encarta, Microsoft's Digital Multimedia Encyclopedia, gives the definition of time as "System of distinguishing events: a dimension that enables two identical events occurring at the same point in space to be distinguished, measured by the interval between the events." What is in the artist’s mind about “Time”?

It becomes allegoric when the films are showing one by one.

《20century boy》shows three small monitors, in which iPod, game player and cellular phone are the same ground by the artist. Meanwhile T Rex’s “20. Century boy” is playing…

Friends say it's fine, friends say it's good
Ev'rybody says it's just like rock'n'roll

Sin Ki-Woun creates a confusing and puzzling atmosphere suggesting an era of mixing up value. Sadism can be also seen in the exhibition when CCTV films itself is ground from the reflection of a mirror. Audience once goes into the venue, catching an eye on the screen before the machine. People may wonder “Why am I in the film?” Then he/she realizes that it is shooting from a camera, which is under harassment. The audience turns into one of the witness, but also on of the victims.

As a young artist, Shin carries a lot of burden and duties to be an old wisdom. He doesn’t allow himself to be released too much. He brings the viewers facing suffering situation. But as a wise audience, you can also question the artist: “Where is the suffering coming from?”