Chapter two :
The hill of desire

chapter Series

2019

ABOUT WORK

The hill of desire points to the primitive sexual impulse and curiosity about sex in youth. People walk on a blurry line between sex and love, and the hill sits in a kind of void, like sexual impulses, which from time to time suddenly rise and disappear from our consciousness. The giant stones here specifically refer to the inexplicable sexual impulse in males, with the top resembling the male genitalia so prominently swollen. The irrational urge remains concealed in the void or within the depths of an unfathomable cavern. 



Title : Chapter two – The hill of desire

Date : 2019

Size : 158 x 110 cm

Material : Watercolor on arches paper

Details and Background information of works

"Un Chien Andalou"

Luis Buñuel | Salvador Dalí
Donkey | Piano

"Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter... and Spring"

Ki-duk kim
Door | Religious Discipline

A Donkey and Piano | Door and Religious Discipline

The donkey dying on the piano in high heels symbolizes the greed, stubbornness, and ignorance of a woman who is tortured by wishful thinking. The conflict between the door and the snake is a rational check and balance of the contradiction and fragility of sex in human nature. Humans possess animalistic traits, yet humans are not entirely animals. Civilization’s influence destined us to struggle repeatedly between divinity and animality.

Un Chien Andalou - Donkey and Piano

The imagery of a decaying donkey and a piano originates from “Un Chien Andalou” (English: “An Andalusian Dog”), a 16-minute silent surrealist short film from France. It was co-created by Spanish director Luis Buñuel and artist Salvador Dalí. Filmed in 1928, it marked Luis Buñuel’s directorial debut. In the first half of the 20th century, Sigmund Freud’s psychoanalytic theories gained popularity in Europe and America. The film follows this theory in its construction, presenting absurd and bizarre events and actions in its plot, characterized by disorder and hallucination. The emphasis lies on the sensory stimulation derived from dreamlike imagery rather than logical consistency in the plot.

 

Using animals such as ants, moths, and a donkey (noticeably, no actual dog), the film explores repressed desires, hidden violence, and sexuality. Interestingly, the two directors refrained from offering rational explanations for the film after its release, as they believed attempting to uncover the hidden symbolism in a surrealist work was futile. 

 

In the short film, a man attempts to violate a woman, his expression gradually eroded by desire. At the peak of intense arousal, the man’s desires seem to reach a climax. However, in an instant, the woman starts to flee. Suddenly, the man drags forth a heavy object composed of a piano, a donkey, and what appears to be two clergy figures (perhaps symbolic of religious authorities). The woman cowers in a corner as the man, seemingly engaged in a tug-of-war with his own rationality, slowly approaches her. The man is both unable to control his desires and burdened by societal morality and various external factors

Door and Religious Discipline
The relationship between doors and discipline originates from the South Korean film “Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter… and Spring,” directed by Kim Ki-duk. This movie explores religious themes and uses poetic techniques to interpret human life through the lens of Buddhism. The cyclical nature of life is symbolized by the repetition of seasons, with “spring” representing renewal. The story revolves around an old monk and a young monk living together. The temple’s design features a central Buddha statue with two wooden doors on either side, and there are no other walls to separate the space. This absence of barriers signifies that adhering to precepts (rules) is a matter of personal choice based on one’s heart, rather than being forced upon.
 
The seemingly unnecessary door represents the internal discipline of the characters. The old monk always uses this “false door” whenever he enters or exits, serving as a constant reminder that he should maintain mindfulness of precepts in his heart. As the young monk grows older, he experiences the taste of forbidden fruit for the first time. One night, while the old monk is asleep, he attempts to secretly visit a girl’s bed. However, the old monk’s body blocks the door, forcing him to sneak around the sides of the door. At this moment, the allure of desire outweighs the discipline in his heart.