Written by Joon Moon

[Connecting Citizens and Artists] Media Artist Joon Yong Moon / by Kyeongin Ilbo

//Breaking the Frame of Existence: The Coexistence of Reality and Virtuality//

With a month since the opening of the Gwangju Design Biennale, what is the most popular work at the exhibition? In the inner section of Gallery 3, “Makuro Kurosuke Table” (Joon Yong Moon, Korea) is gaining immense popularity among family visitors. This interactive work combines shadow and augmented reality technology. When a viewer places their hand or an object on the table, the dust creatures from the famous Japanese animation “My Neighbor Totoro” appear. Children are particularly engrossed, trying various ways to summon the dust creatures, resulting in a work filled with laughter. This information is extracted from Gwangju CBS reporter Kim Hyung-no’s article, “What is the Most Popular Work at the Gwangju Design Biennale?” (2011).

Joon Yong Moon’s ‘Augmented Shadow’

The 4th Gwangju Design Biennale, which opened on September 2 and runs until the 23rd, has seen an increased participation of interactive media works where visitors can engage with and communicate through the artwork.

Among these, Joon Yong Moon’s “Makurokurosuke Table” has attracted significant attention. This piece was inspired by the relationship between the dust creatures “Makuro Kurosuke” and the female protagonist in the popular Japanese animation “My Neighbor Totoro.” The protagonist, while feeling fear towards these new creatures, is driven by curiosity to catch them, and the dust creatures, though initially scared, eventually return and form a bond.

Moon aimed to recreate this formation of new relationships through his work. He chose the social space of a “tea table” and incorporated augmented reality technology. When visitors interact with the tea table, dust creatures appear on the table, disappearing and reappearing based on the movements of the visitors, facilitating interaction and empathy.

This allowed visitors to experience an environment where reality and virtuality, material and spirit, visible and invisible coexisted.

Moon, who has garnered attention in the art and design world both domestically and internationally through various exhibitions, was selected as a resident artist at the Incheon Art Platform for the second half of 2011 and is currently focused on his subsequent work in Incheon. We had a conversation at the exhibition hall and his studio at the Art Platform.

Last year, his work “Augmented Shadow,” which drew public interest at the “2010 Art Edition” held at BEXCO in Busan, is now being exhibited at the 2nd Anniversary Special Exhibition of the Incheon Art Platform. This work features shadows that gather and disperse as visitors move barcode-attached rectangular boxes on a transparent plate, forming ecosystems like trees and birds.

He explained, “This work, in the same vein as ‘Makurokurosuke Table,’ uses the metaphors of imaginary shadows and transformed silhouettes to create a fantasy world that breaks the boundaries between reality and virtuality.”

Continuing our conversation in his studio, Moon said, “I studied design in college, and while pursuing innovative design, I started creating works fused with technology. I’m contemplating how to align reality with virtuality.”

Since he handles all aspects of his works, including planning, programming, and installation, it takes him at least three months to complete a piece.

He noted, “There are many things I want to do, but the time and effort required make it difficult to produce multiple works, which is the biggest drawback of my work. I plan to address this issue.” He added, “To get to know Incheon better, I’m exploring the area by bicycle. I’m also considering works that harmonize with spaces like Wolmido and Jayu Park.”

About the Artist

Joon Yong Moon studied design at Konkuk University. He has worked on motion graphics for several years and focuses on generative visual work for live performances, sound visualizations, and interactive narratives based on that experience. “Augmented Shadow” was his graduation project for his master’s degree in Design & Technology at Parsons, The New School for Design in the USA. Currently, he is experimenting with visual experiences brought by new technologies such as the spatial dimensions of augmented reality and narrative environments. /Reporter Kim Young-jun