INTERVIEW Soobeen Woo
PUBLISHED 6. FEB 2025
Bon Kim is an artist based in South Korea and Germany whose work explores the boundaries between the living and non-living through performative installations and new media. Her practice integrates thermal phenomena, sculpture, performance, and the body.
// What inspired you to participate in LICHTROUTEN this year?
When I first heard about the theme of LICHTROUTEN, I immediately felt that it could be related with my work, Mourning Heat(열곡(熱哭)). Mourning Heat invites audiences to experience a prolonged moment of mourning and resonance through the medium of glowing heat.
// How do you think ‘Mourning Heat’ connects with the overall theme or other works at LICHTROUTEN?
Mourning Heat connects with the theme of LICHTROUTEN by using glowing heat as both a physical and emotional medium. The work reflects on energy not only as something tangible but also as a way to explore relations and connections. Through the act of performance(mourning), it highlights the importance of inner strength and shared experiences, resonating with the festival’s focus on the transformative power of social and spiritual energy.
// What differences, if any, do you find between showcasing your work at a festival versus a regular exhibition space?
When creating my work, I consider putting my work in relations rather than isolated activities or objects. So oftentimes I try to make my work as a medium for blurring boundaries. For this exhibition at Lichtrouten, I heard that my work will be showcased at Freemasonry, a centuries-old fraternal organization that traces its origins back to the medieval stonemasons’ guilds. Freemasonry often involves secretive rituals and symbols, and its members meet in lodges to discuss moral and ethical topics, engage in community service, and bond with others who share similar values. I understand that Freemasonry spaces are typically not open to the public, and through this exhibition, both the work and the space will be revealed to a wider audience. In that sense, this exhibition holds a special meaning for me, as it is an opportunity to break boundaries, not only through my work but also by sharing this historically closed space with the public, offering a new perspective on both the art and the organization.
// Has your participation in LICHTROUTEN provided you with new inspiration in your work process or as an artist?
Yes, I am still in the process of preparing for the exhibition, and I believe I will find more inspiration as I engage with the site and observe how the audience interacts with my work. I am looking forward to these moments, as they always bring new insights and ideas into my creative process
// The title ‘열곡 (Mourning Heat)’ suggests a very intense emotion. What message were you aiming to convey with this title?
The title “열곡 (Mourning Heat)” is meant to reflect both the emotional intensity and the physical manifestation of grief. For the word ‘mourning’ I expect to evoke the deep emotional process of loss and remembrance, while ‘heat’ adds a visceral, almost tangible layer to that feeling. In many cultures, grief is not only an emotional experience but one that can be physically felt—through warmth, tension, or even pain. By using “heat” in the title, I aim for it to serve as both a physical and conceptual medium in the project. This embodiment of grief suggests that mourning is not just something we feel in our hearts but something that courses through our bodies. I expect this to translate an intangible emotion into a physical experience, making it something that can be more deeply understood. By merging these two concepts, I hope to communicate the complex, often overwhelming nature of mourning, and explore how emotions are not just psychological but deeply sensory and bodily. The title also anticipates the transformation of grief—like heat, it can change, intensify, and evolve, much like the emotional experience of loss.
// How does your artistic practice engage with light and media as mediums? What drew you to work with these elements?
Light and heat both represent concentrated energy, which is powerful in itself and holds the potential to transform into something else. As an artist, I’m drawn to these elements because they offer a unique way to explore the intersection of phenomenon and emotion. Light is visible but intangible, while heat influences our environment in subtle ways, both evoking sensory experiences beyond what we typically perceive.
// What does heat symbolize in your work? It seems like heat has a deeper meaning beyond just physical temperature.
In my work, heat symbolizes the subtle connections between relationships and the spaces between them. As living bodies continuously emit body heat, it mixes with the surrounding environment, creating flows and interactions. I am attracted by these phenomena where heat acts as a medium that gently permeates the connections, blending and influencing everything around it. Through this, I expect to imagine how heat is not just a physical temperature, but a force that intertwines the living with their surroundings, shaping the emotional and relational space.
// What personal or social context led to the creation of this work? Was there a specific event or experience that inspired you?
This work was inspired by observing the common situation as a human being of letting go of someone or something that has been a part of their lives for a long time. I saw how, after such a loss, the act of mourning becomes something that is often left within the personal realm, disconnected from the collective. This led me to reflect on mourning as a shared, communal experience. In this project, I expect to explore mourning through the form of sound, expressing grief and attempting to lead others to empathy through resonance. It’s a way of considering how mourning can be both personal and yet, through resonance, connect us to others in a meaningful way.
// What materials and techniques did you employ in creating this work? I’m particularly curious about the media and methods you chose to express heat or mourning.
In this work, I used materials like heat-generating devices, reminiscent of candles or incense, with performers interacting to create a flow of heat that rises toward the sky through ceramic tubes. The movement of heat and the performers’ actions together produce sound, reverberating throughout the space. The act of sending heat upwards, along with the resulting sound and resonance, metaphorically connects to cultural and religious practices where, during mourning, something is sent to the sky as a gesture of farewell.
// Performance seems to be a critical part of this work. By visually depicting the act of ‘mourning’ through the performer’s actions, you create a stronger immersion. What do you most consider when directing the performance?
Performance became a critical element in this work because it was essential for depicting the act of mourning. Conceptually, it was a part of the project, but also a medium through which I grappled with deeper questions. As an artist who has primarily worked with installation and sculpture, the relationship between the audience and the work, and breaking down the wall between them, remains a central concern for me. This led me naturally to performance. I noticed that performance often forces the audience into a specific time and space, creating a more immersive experience. When the work exists as an object or piece within a space, the connection between the audience and the piece is different compared to when the work becomes part of the performer’s body. This shift allows for a richer, more intimate interaction. I expect to focus on this dynamic—how the presence of the performer, their body, and their actions deepen the audience’s engagement with the work.
// The space where this work is installed appears crucial for conveying its message. How have you arranged the relationship between space and audience? What spatial differences are there between the exhibitions in Seoul and Lüdenscheid?
In creating this work, I aimed to find common points of interpretation that can resonate across different cultures and backgrounds. The heating devices in the work, for instance, can be interpreted as candles or incense depending on the viewer’s perspective. This open-ended quality invites diverse interpretations while maintaining a universal connection. The actions and movements of the performer, such as kneeling before the heating device, evoke rituals of prayer or mourning typically found in religious or ceremonial spaces. To highlight this, I arranged the installation elements on the floor, encouraging the audience to engage with the piece in a way that invites reflection and reverence, much like in these sacred or ritualistic contexts. In terms of the spatial differences between Seoul and Lüdenscheid, I expect to adapt the arrangement to each space’s unique qualities while keeping the emotional and symbolic intentions intact. The layout will vary to respond to the architecture and flow of the audience, but the underlying idea of creating an immersive and contemplative space remains consistent.
// What was the most challenging part of this work? Were there any unexpected changes or problems you needed to address? What was your main focus when expressing heat and emotion (mourning) visually and physically?
The most challenging part of this work was shifting from installation-based practice, where I’m used to working with physical space and objects, to incorporating performance, where I had to engage with time in a completely new way. It wasn’t easy at first to feel time without looking at a clock. As someone who’s punctual, adjusting to the idea of experiencing time through the body rather than through a schedule was quite difficult. Initially, I was working with heat in a way that felt more controlled and closer to installation work, where everything happens under perfect regulation. However, as the work evolved into performance, it expanded to include human relationships, which made me reconsider how the installation engages with the audience differently. The real challenge came with the improvisational nature of performance. While I could understand in theory that improvisation might arise, I realized that it’s another thing entirely to be prepared to handle unexpected situations when they happen in the moment. This aspect of spontaneity is something I’m still getting used to, particularly when it comes to how the audience interacts with the work. The unpredictable nature of performance often brings a new layer of complexity, both in terms of how I manage the work and how the audience connects with it.
// While heat as a medium and mourning as an act are universal, your work seems to incorporate some regional or cultural elements. How should audiences approach this work to engage more deeply and enhance their understanding?
I don’t want to impose any limitations on how the audience should engage with the work. I expect people to interpret and experience it based on their own memories, experiences, beliefs, and cultural backgrounds. Each viewer can approach it in their own way. However, I would like to note a few practical considerations for a better experience: The space is filled with cables, so I ask the audience to be careful when moving around to avoid tripping. Additionally, since the work involves heat, it can get quite hot, so I encourage viewers to observe from a safe distance and, if they wish to interact with the piece, to do so carefully with the guidance of the staff.
// What are your plans for future projects or your artistic activities?
This year, I’m grateful to have received support from ARKO(Art Council Korea), which will allow me to continue my artistic research on heat and present a new work in Korea. Additionally, I’m excited to be invited to participate in a performance workshop with children at NTGent in Belgium, where I will continue exploring Mourning Heat and engage with new audiences and other artists through this project.