— 방패연을 한번 더 만들어보자 —
When home is left behind, do we find it again in each other?
A Kite is something that is tethered yet in flight out against the void. It flirts with the external forces but has a single point of origin, afloat only by the tension of a child’s hands. This tension, along with an antogonistic force: the wind, is what keeps it in the air. The stronger the wind is, threatening to blow it away, the higher it soars.
In a way, it’s an object most comfortable with adversity.
On the day of the lunar year’s first full moon, Korean kite flyers sever the strings that tether their kites, allowing them to soar away. On the surface of the kite’s panel, the name and birthdate of the flyer is inscribed; as the kite blows away in the wind, it is believed to take any bad luck that might befall the flyer with it.
It seeks to be held, but not confined, only at an arm’s distance, swirling energetically and sometimes chaotically, other times gliding with ease such as there seems to be no forces at work to keep it where it is. It demands to be let go, but held back. It begs you to give it at least one point of contact, anchoring it, inviting it to come back down when the wind as been too much, the forces too harsh.
A kite is a cultural object, to be flown when the cadence of the year chimes yet again, continuously, without fail. Kites are flown during lunar new year, with the past year’s misfortunes painted and signed, a bitter love letter of the tragedies and sadness to be flown away, to cut ties with, quite literally, almost like letting a breath of air you’ve been holding in all this time out with a sigh of relief. This way, good fortune finds its way back to you and nothing is standing in your way. Letting go, cutting away, and washing away, away and away into the sky, before you know it you’re alone.
행복.
저녁 때
돌아갈 집이 있다는 것
힘들 때
마음속으로 생각할 사람 있다는 것
외로울 때
혼자서 부를 노래 있다는 것.
나태주 *꽃을 보듯 너를 본다*
방패연 만들기
Making a kite is quite easy - flying a kite is a different story. Though it is a generational craft, all you need are some good friends, good stories, and a willingness to run with things that may not be ready to fly. The five of us came from different backgrounds, homes, family structures, cultures — but at one point or another we left behind a meaning of home and had to make a new one where we found ourselves.
Paper (mulberry)
Ink (paint can be too heavy)
Reed/bamboo sticks
String (lighter the better)
Kite reel & kite
A small collection of kites, archived digitally in lieu of being able to physically see one in real life.
