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FAR, FAR, FAR

"Far, Far, Far" is a collaborative performance project involving artists based in Europe but from Korea, the U.S., Russia, and China  which are essentiels countries for the reunification korea. The project explores the life journeys of individuals born in 1953 in four different countries on the year of the armistice agreement. We start to prepare the reunification of korea instead of waiting for the politicians over 70 years. While reunification primarily concerns the Korean people, peace is a matter for the entire world.

1953

My maternal grandfather was born as the third son in a family of five siblings running an orchard in North Korea. However, in 1950, the Korean War broke out, dividing his family between the North and the South. The war left my grandfather an orphan, as he lost his siblings in the bombings. His life was marked by the pain of separation—between those who remained in the North and those lost in the South. In 1990, my grandfather passed away.  

 

The children of my grandfather’s younger sister and younger brother, who were left in North Korea, belong to the same generation as my mother. Their children would be around my age. While I am aware of their existence, I have no knowledge of their reality. Perhaps they know of me as well, yet I remain a mystery to them.  

 

Seven decades have passed since the temporary cessation of the Korean War. Seventy years ago, three countries signed the armistice agreement: an American general on behalf of the UN, a Chinese general, and a North Korean general. Originally a military agreement, it mandated political measures within three months. The Korean Peninsula became a battleground for a proxy war.  

Content and Form

GALMAE aims to create a performance featuring four individuals, each born in 1953(the year of the armistice agreement), representing the four nations crucial to Korean reunification and historically involved in the armistice. The performance will chronologically unfold 70 years of their lives, starting from the end of the Korean War.  

 

What happened to them in those three months that turned into seven decades? How did they experience childhood? When did they have their first kiss? Who did they vote for the first time? What music shaped their youth? What are their thoughts on their own country? What do they think of the other three countries? What kind of lives do they lead now? What are the differences between their experiences? Despite these differences, what common threads run through their lives?  

 

GALMAE is selecting and reaching out to artists from each country. However, each artist will choose and conduct a research with a 71-year-old individual in their respective country. Each artist and performer will form a pair, working together to write the chronological narrative of 71 years of life. 

 

On stage, the four performers will speak in their native languages, with subtitles projected in the language of the host country. 

 

Our artistic approach emphasizes both individual and collective storytelling. By exploring the personal histories of 70-year-olds, we aim to illustrate how these individual narratives intertwine to form a broader collective story—showing the deep connection between personal experiences and large-scale political and social developments. 

The interaction between artists and elderly participants is of utmost importance. We will make a concerted effort to explore how artists can engage with older individuals to collect their life stories. This collaboration will allow for a deeper understanding of personal and historical narratives. By fostering dialogue and forging meaningful connections, we aspire to transcend barriers and create a profound artistic work. 

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