Since its establishment as a stage for artistic expression, Seoul National University’s Power Plant 1 has spotlighted a dazzling array of creative and experimental feats. The bare expanse of space is seemingly constructed of little more than concrete and exposed brick, functioning as a blank canvas that beckons all kinds of artists.
With the ongoing 2024 STUDENT-UP Program, the Power Plant has been featuring handpicked projects that receive production support from SNU’s Institute for Culture and Arts. These have so far been fleeting exhibitions, here today and gone tomorrow. The most recent one, designed and executed by SNU students of the Kulkulgongjugaemi theater group, titled Glass Pigeon Plastic Nest and was open from March 15 to 18. The project was particularly unique in its duality as both installation and performance.
The poster of Glass Pigeon Plastic Nest
As alluded to in its namesake, a motif of pigeons permeated throughout the visual and performative aspects of Glass Pigeon Plastic Nest. This ranged in prominence, from understated prints of the bird nestled amongst props to a character dedicating lengthy monologues to the pigeons that she feeds.
The installation itself, which served a dual purpose as the stage, was composed of an elaborate drawer system and three vinyl greenhouses. Each wooden drawer compartment contained a scattered assortment of items, some evidently more sentimental than others. Polaroids of a beloved pet were taped within one and crumpled bits of receipts were haphazardly laid out in another; a third, when opened, yielded rows of hard candy and the pieces of an unfinished puzzle. All depicted fragments of mundane experiences at different stages of life. Similarly, the vinyl greenhouses were constructed like the rooms of a lived-in home, filled with mementos but also the peculiarities of spilled popcorn and bird feathers.
An installation of vinyl greenhouses and elaborate drawer compartments
The hour-long performance followed the emotional journey of three distinct characters, desperate to escape the oppressive confines of time; their child-like whimsy oscillated between moments of stability and fits of anger. Such was also accompanied by the juxtaposition of modern beats and traditional Korean instrumentals, interspersed with arias from the opera L’enfant et les sortilèges. Most notably, the audience was invited to move freely about—even onto the stage—to trace the steps of the actors during the performance. In introducing this feature, Glass Pigeon Plastic Nest diminished the distance between the artist and the audience, making it an interactive experience.
A stage shared by both the actors and the audience
Even now, there is no foreseeable end to the stream of installations, exhibitions, performances, and more that are to blossom within the four walls of the Power Plant; Glass Pigeon Plastic Nest is only one of such creations featured. Be on the lookout for what other wonders the venue may house in the upcoming months!
Written by Hee Seo Lee, SNU English Editor, heeseolee@snu.ac.kr