Art & Technology #12: Analogue Technology

The work of Jung Uk Yang comprises analogue, kinetic structures that emit creaking noises. Set within darkened rooms, the array of materials set into motion on gears creates a harmony within the environment. The movement and motion emerges as the strength of analogue and testament to the unique quality of the art. The process of engagement becomes a transformation into a physical body and structure. The artist leads viewers onto journeys, creating scenarios with poetic titles that incite nostalgia and adventure. An intriguing point of his kinetic sculptures is the gap between the implied stories and the structures themselves. The forms and aura of the work seem to fill the empty space of the room as viewers contemplate each structure in relation to its given title. Yang uses basic technology over cutting-edge techniques to expose every singular movement and emphasize the physicality of touch, sight and sound. He explores infinite possibilities within the singular.

The previous artists employ analogue in their contemplations, but others will induce contemplation further. The following artists luxuriate and explore sounds and signals that only analogue devices are able to produce. Jun Hyoung San turns what is normally silent audible. Incomplete Truth #10 (2009) places a microphone directly next to a stone, in an attempt to capture its sound. The absence of sound implies silence, however the piece actually examines the noises created by analogue mediums. He embraces the sounds of radio frequencies and white noise from televisions. If John Cage composed sounds from daily life into music, Jun does the same with noises typically filtered out by digital means. A priori bits #6; Meter (2014) interprets the noise from a running meter as a beat and increases the volume. Moreover, the audience can tune the beat by plugging in or out. And as soon as they recognize the sounds as beats, their concept of what they are hearing expands. IN other works, the artist reproduces analogue sounds into meaningful gestures within social structures.

In today’s society, where generations of analogue and digital have now collided, comparisons between the two largely convey an imbalance. It is already a generation governed by the digital. This propensity is obvious, as automation and efficiency continue to be valued over human touch within capitalist society. Within this environment, the relationship between digital and analogue is one of restraint and competitive motivation. The cyclical feedback of deconstruction and reconstruction has become mere noise transmuted into information. But the balance might be overthrown. Which is why the examination into analogue media today is ever more meaningful and significant. ■ with ARTINPOST