(An) Anthology of the Ocean
(An) Anthology of the Ocean
October 11, 2024 -
December 14, 2024
Centered around the personhood of a body, Shin’s work composes metaphoric bodily gestures and the encapsulation of their traces. Her process originates with written poetry, using ceramic, brass, concrete, wood, seawater, and other materials from personal events to render the realities of belonging, distance, loss, longing, and communion with others. (An) Anthology of the Ocean offers a distilled collection of Shin’s artistic practice over the last decade, debuting new works made in collaboration with the Pacific Ocean earlier this year.
For Shin, the ocean is not a barrier but a living, breathing connector linking her two homes and selves across continents and cultures. In tapping into these interstitial spaces and the poetries composed through traces of bodily movements, Shin’s work invites viewers to consider the ocean as a metaphor for a place of connection, longing, and care, especially resonant for those with lived experience of migration.
The titular reference to anthology draws from Shin’s foundational practice of poetry, framing the exhibition as a curated collection of moments that resonate both personally and universally. The use of “(An)” introduces a duality, suggesting both a specific, subjective engagement with the ocean and an acknowledgment of its broader, collective significance. (An) Anthology of the Ocean reflects the artist’s exploration of the ocean as a dynamic entity—one that not only serves as a repository of individual and communal narratives but also acts as a temporal bridge, linking disparate moments and experiences. Through this lens, the ocean becomes both a vessel of memory and a site of continuous transformation, underscoring the fluid process of identity and belonging.
(An) Anthology of the Ocean is curated by Kalaija Mallery, with support from Kellen Wright (Gallery Manager), Kevin Harris (Fabrication and Tech), and Jesse Johanning (Designer). The exhibition’s conceptual framework is further enriched by the contributions of poet Amy Lam and Amanda Walters, whose words have served as a guiding force throughout its development. (An) Anthology of the Ocean is generously supported by the Teiger Foundation, the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, the Crawford Taylor Foundation, and the Missouri Arts Council.
Related Programs
Opening Reception
The Luminary, 2701 Cherokee St, St. Louis, MO 63118
Friday, October 11, 6-9PM
The opening reception, scheduled will offer a unique opportunity for visitors to engage directly with the artist and her deeply resonant works. This event, free and open to the public, marks the first of many free engagements throughout the duration of this exhibition.
Conversation: Climate of Longing: metaphors of connection in the regulators and drivers of the Earth
The Luminary, 2701 Cherokee St, St. Louis, MO 63118
Saturday, December 14, 2024, 4pm
Climate of Longing: Metaphors of Connection in the Regulators and Drivers of the Earth, is a discussion led by curator Kalaija Mallery with artists Haley Darya Parsa (New York, NY), and Christopher Willauer (Dayton, OH). The talk will explore themes of longing, distance, and the metaphor of connection through Earth's climate forces such as oceans and suns. This conversation delves into how these natural elements serve as both regulators and symbols in shaping our understanding of connection and separation.
Workshop: The Poetics of Translation
The Luminary, 2701 Cherokee St, St. Louis, MO 63118
Saturday, November 16, 2pm
with poet Amy Lam
This workshop explores the art and challenge of translation as form, focusing on how language, culture, and meaning transform in the process. Drawing on Édouard Glissant's concept of Relation, participants will engage with experimental forms of poetic generation, emphasizing the idea that translation is not merely about fidelity but a process of creating connections across cultural and linguistic boundaries.
The Luminary, 2701 Cherokee St, St. Louis, MO 63118
Saturday, December 14th, 2024, 7pm