6x4

My dear friend Jang Huddle came down to Ōtautahi to stay with me for a few days. During our time together we talked about lots of things. We talked about what it means to be Korean on this unceded whenua and the trauma we inherit as children of a people torn in half. We talked about culture and the complexity of being disconnected from your own heritage, but also the joy of rediscovery. Culture is not an artefact, it is a process and a practice. We get to have a say in what it means to be Korean, and moreover what it means to be Korean-New Zealanders. It is an ongoing journey in the same way that it is an ongoing journey for us as tauiwi to because tangata tiriti: people of the treaty, who honour the treaty.

Cindy 윤하 is a brightly heartful, deeply caring person and a beautiful dancer. We went to the red zone to take some photos of a dress from an old collection. It was made from repurposed bamboo viscose that I buried in the ground for a while then used as a drop cloth. I hand darned the holes in the fabric before draping the dress. We talked about abandoned places and the idea of home. I gave this dress to Cindy to wear in Korea during an upcoming residency at Horanggasy in Gwangju.

Silkworms spinning their golden homes.

I was given a few worms to rear by Gina of Growing Textiles NZ. I loved having these little creatures quietly munching away on fragrant mulberry leaves in my studio. By the time the silk hardened the pupae had shrunk and stiffened, rattling around inside the cocoon. At this point I put them in the freezer. Once all the worms have pupated they will be processed, killing the worms but releasing the unbroken strand of silk that can measure up to a kilometre long. In Korea the pupae are eaten as a protein-rich street snack so I am going to test out a few recipes.