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The Sound of Moskva-Petushki I copied Moscow-Petushki, a Russian literary work by Benedict Erofeev, from beginning to end. Moscow-Petushki was one of the well-known works circulated as a "samizdat" during the Soviet era. Samizdat began as a self-publishing activity to deliver and disperse the truth which was censored by the state. However, as time went by, the format of production—whether a typewriter or carbon paper—and the materiality of the pages with printed letters became significant. While able to read Russian (poorly) but with limited understanding, I transcribed the Russian text using a ballpoint pen and carbon paper. The result is an "original copy" written with a ballpoint pen and another "translation" process documented on the carbon paper. The newly created text-pages are bound as an accordion book and put on display. The text is no longer for reading to decipher the meaning of the words. I "physically translated" the text and re-represents it as a physical object and an accumulation of time. Moreover, the work reminds the audience of the body through its absence. The use of carbon paper is echoes the spirit of samizdat.
Installation views from the exhibition Language Is Treacherous 언어는 배신하지 않는다 at Wumin Art Center, 2019 |
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© Sujin Lee |
