ILTAL

Mixed Media Installation with Textiles, Found Objects, and Wood

ILTAL embodies rebelling against social norms. 

To me, ILTAL is about making decisions based on my own ideology instead of adopting dominant social norms without criticism.

In its cultural context specific to Korea, ILTAL typically carries a connection to the period of adolescence, and because of this, ILTAL began as a way for me to find my identity.

In middle school, instead of spending time studying, I was trying to find myself through a variety of ILTAL: wearing altered uniforms against the dress code, listening to music during classes, drinking on a rooftop of an empty warehouse, smoking in a karaoke room with friends, sneaking out of the house late at night, etc. These are actions which on the one hand, may be universal to the period of adolescence, but it is within the context of my environment that the actions resonate more strongly. 

Traditional Korean society places tremendous importance on conformity, to a much greater degree than most western cultures. In this world where following the norm is praised, ILTAL has negative connotations. Despite this, my teenage ILTAL days remain the most memorable time in my life. ILTAL began as all of the things I did to feel freedom, despite not aligning with what was already established. 

However ILTAL cannot only be defined as, or confined to mere notions of teenage rebellion. ILTAL matures with us as we do, and the concept remains integral to me as an adult. If ILTAL once helped me to find my identity, now ILTAL helps me to live in the world remaining truthful to the values and ideology that it gave to me. 

This once again can manifest in a variety of ways, but most crucially, ILTAL emboldens me to be vocal about issues that matter to me, and to try and live each day matching what I value and believe to my actions.