Experiencing Interruptions?

GURUMI pt.1

Language is not merely a tool of communication but a mirror reflecting an individual's world. <Gurumi pt.1> explores three shapes of language: the core concept of the language itself, one's perception of the word based on personal experiences, and the combined form of these two.
The <Gurumi> project aims to visually unfold these three shapes into three structures. We tried these structures metaphorically to represent the linguistic experiences of immigrants.
Each symbolic scene is arranged not in a linear order but in a non-linear, irregular sequence using the Markov chain model to visually enhance the narrative.
Three structures:
We believe that illusory images and immigrant discourse can all connect through the deconstruction and reconstruction of boundaries. Illusory images blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy. We believed this is similar to the linguistic experiences immigrants face in new cultures and environments.

Post-structuralism seeks to deconstruct existing structures and boundaries, exploring new meanings and identities. The process by which immigrants learn a new language and integrate it into their own linguistic system resembles this post-structuralist approach. They redefine their linguistic identity within a new language environment, experiencing a transcendence of previous boundaries.

The linguistic experience of immigrants shows fragmented and non-linear patterns. By examining code-switching, language transfer, language maintenance and attrition, social networks and language use, and psycholinguistic perspectives, we can explore how the linguistic lives of immigrants exhibit diverse patterns.

<Gurumi pt.1> uses the Markov chain model to visually express the linguistic experiences of immigrants. This model analyzes the probabilities and patterns of language transition, and based on this, the work combines and layers realistic images, post-structuralist images, and illusory images.

GURUMI project is produced during the Helsinki International Artist Programme residency, and funded by Künstlerhaus Bremen, Senator für Kultur Bremen and HIAP Suomenlinna

  • Jaehwa Baek
    Director
  • Yeosulme Kang
    Director
  • Jaehwa Baek
    Writer
  • Yeosulme Kang
    Writer
  • Jaehwa Baek
    Producer
  • Yeosulme Kang
    Producer
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    8 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 28, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    650 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Finland
  • Country of Filming:
    Finland
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • HIAP Suomenlinna / Openstudio 2023
    Helsinki
    Finland
    October 28, 2023
  • Frappant Galerie
    Hamburg
    Germany
    Exhibition <<A Form for your Phantoms>>
  • Kunstpreis Ottersberg 2024
    Ottersberg
    Germany
    November 14, 2024
    Kunstpreis Ottersberg
Director Biography - Jaehwa Baek, Yeosulme Kang

Sulme & Jae-Nder Fluid is a Korean artist duo based in Bremen, Germany, formed by Yeosulme Kang (1995) and Jaehwa Baek (1993).



Sulme earned Diplom and Meisterschüler degrees in Fine Arts at the Hochschule für Künste Bremen (under Prof. Heike Kati Barath)


Jae-Nder Fluid studied at Hongik University (KR) and Coventry School of Art and Design (GB), obtaining a BA(Hons) in Automotive & Transport Design. 
And received an MFA in Fine Arts - Design at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste Hamburg (under Prof. Dr. Jesko Fezer)



Their selected exhibition experiences include at the Kunstverein Fischerhude, Frappant Galerie and Xpon gallery Hamburg in 2024
HIAP Suomenlinna in Helsinki, Weserburg Museum & GAK Bremen in 2023, Thealit - Frauen.Kultur.Labor. Bremen, MOMus Museum Thessaloniki, Museum Kesselhaus Herzberge Berlin in 2022, Worpswerder Kunsthalle and Kunstverein Bad Wonder etc.



They were selected as the recipients of the 2023 Helsinki Artist Residency—a fully funded residency program at HIAP Suomenlinna awarded annually to one artist by Künstlerhaus Bremen museum.

In 2024, they were nominated for the Kunstpreis Ottersberg 2024. They also received funding from the Senator für Kultur Bremen (Jungeszene & Subkultur) for their solo exhibition in December 2024.






Add Director Biography
Director Statement


Sulme & Jae-Nder Fluid (Yeosulme Kang & Jaehwa Baek) is a South Korean artist duo based in Bremen, Germany.

Their shared motivation is to explore the fluidity of social constructs through the lens of queer-immigrants in European society and to understand the complex interactions between marginalized individuals and society.

This shared drive forms the foundation of their collaborative work as a collective through video, moving-image, installation, etc.

A key aspect of their artistic practice is the exploration of the intersection of two identities: immigrant and queer.
Specifically, they attempt to connect this exploration with the concept of ‘spatiality.’ The concept of immigrant-queer spatiality does not have a clear definition and is rather fragmented. Therefore, they have established three criteria to classify and explore their own concept of immigrant-queer spatiality:

- ‘Spatial orientation and direction based on phenomenological experiences’
- ‘Freedom of gender performance regardless of nationality and race’
- ‘Exploration of future perspectives of immigrant-queer identities’

Using these three criteria, they examine how immigrant-queer individuals interact with space, how space influences their bodies, and how certain elements of space align with them. They aim to express these phenomena through their artistic practice.