The Moon Jars of Kang’s 1392 Moon Jars (Wind) are an important Korean porcelain style made during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), the shape and milky glaze resembles the moon, while the thin base and white body makes it feel as if it were floating. 

 

Notably, each vessel is deliberately imperfect, revealing the touch of its maker, and is formed from two parts of clay connected by hand. Each jar is different, although when viewed together with the other jars in the installation, it becomes one component of a larger whole. The installation also has greater significance when viewed in person: when viewers speak to one another across the installation, the jars cause the sound of their voices to vibrate and amplify, and the natural force of the wind becomes linked to breath. 1392 Moon Jars (Wind) also carries Kang’s hopes for reunification of Korea. To him, each half of the Moon Jar represents the two countries North and South Korea, which when combined would “become one body and start breathing air into the sky… a oneness from this connection.” (Quote taken from https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/26824)

 

Similarly, Floating Dreams also builds upon the history between North and South Korea, this time focusing on the displacement of the individuals who were forced to flee their homes during the Korean War. The structure consists of a sculpture of a young child holding a flashing light atop a structure comprised of a collection of around 500 drawings made by people who fled North Korea to the South recalling their childhood.

 

These people were asked to recall the happy or sad moments of their childhood in the form of illustrations that were then transferred onto 167 sq centimeter sheets of hanji, a traditional Korean rice paper, for the final artwork. These accumulated works form a paper lantern which literally shines a light on the pain and hope of their various experiences. 

 

The sculpture of the child standing atop the lantern symbolizes the youth of each displaced individual of the Korean War (who are now in their 80s-90s) and the flashing light in their hands represent their fading memories. They are essentially refugees themselves and because of this, he wants this work to not only be for those displaced by the korean war, but to also be a monument for refugees all over the world, for people who were forced to leave their hometowns. 

 

In the words of Ik-Joong Kang himself, “the project’s subject is displaced, but the bigger theme here is unification”, referring to the shared experiences of each individual drawing adding to the overall message of hoping for a successful reunification of their country.