Just as
there is no eternal truth, the social world reflects its era. The flood of
virtual images from the media quickly turns the values and traits of each era
into fixed stereotypes. Today, images blur presence and absence, virtual and
real, original and copy. Technology fuels human desires.
In this context, Im
Sunny’s communication is simple. She finds private inner stories within the
familiar codes of television dramas and reveals her presence through scenes she
reshapes with her own dramatic imagination. She selects narratives and
fragments and presents them in transformed, staged forms.
The
story typically begins with a chance encounter. Love starts as a one sided
crush, faces obstacles such as love triangles, or family opposition, uncovers a
hidden birth secret, and ends happily.
Although
predictable and cliché, this light familiarity is part of her theme. For the
artist, drama reflects people’s lives and is a way to show herself.
When
drawing from real life, television images are second-hand. She then restages
them theatrically, blurring the boundary between real and virtual and altering
perceptions of time. This exposes the weight of reality and prompts reflection
on overlooked moments.
This is
possible because we are connected by empathy, often without knowing it. Through
this link, we sometimes receive comfort or healing at certain moments in life.
In her video works, clearly staged scenes that anyone can recognise from a
typical storyline unfold in slow motion, much slower than daily life. This slow
movement makes us aware of subtle time. In an age filled with visual stimuli,
it becomes a tool that connects time to time and person to person. It brings
back shared memories and experiences.
The ups
and downs of the characters reflect the reality of our own lives as modern
people. In the end, the work touches on the serious theme of life’s true
nature. Yet the familiar and simple scenes taken from cliché stories soften
this weight with a sense of lightness. They prevent the work from becoming
overly abstract or heavy.
We all
dream of a bright life. We hope to overcome hardship and succeed. The
difference is that, unlike in dramas, real life has no safety device that
guarantees a happy ending. Still, within these predictable stories, where
imitation creates a sense of comfort and emotions such as excitement, anger,
sympathy, and hope cross over each other, the artist senses a healing effect.
There is hope, release, and emotional cleansing.
We are
either in love, dreaming of love, or remembering love. The gesture we make in
front of the work is left to each viewer.
