Archive of work by graduates from the renowned MFA Programme at GSA

Jung Ki Beak

There is no doubt that many countries suffering water shortage are also undergoing political, religious and border disputes. Although water shortage (dryness) is not the main cause of their disputes, I regard ‘dryness and lack of rain’ as symbolic catalysts to trigger the collapse of ecosystems – and even the split of political and religious ideology in those regions – just as dry soil cracks. I thus perform a shamanist ceremony to pray for rain, in order to moisten the dry land and, symbolically, help the settlement of the disputes in these countries. I believe that my shamanist ceremony and tools will work to provoke rain and wet the dry land. As a shaman, self belief is one of the most powerful tools to successfully realize the purpose of the ceremony, and, at the same time, a key element within my work.