There are too many things happening in our society these days. Among them, the environment is the area where the entire world should be concerned. There is a social enterprise that insists on solving problems about continuing environmental issues by up-cycling. That company is ‘Sple’. Sple is an abbreviation of space plus, which means adding something to a space. The authors of Sple create one-of-a kind works for people who need help. They are the artists who dream of scattering tiny stories about their lives. Let's meet the representative who tries to make their dreams come true!

  1. What was the most difficult thing you had to do during the ‘Small Discovery Program’ in Hancheon village?
  There was not concept of a community in Hancheon village. When we first arrived, the residents in the village were so stark. The town of Hancheon was a dying village and villagers did not try to connect to each other. There was only hostility because villagers were busy looking for the owner of discarded garbage in front of their house. But thanks to up-cycling activities, which are based on working together, the relationship of villagers became better and we understood each other. I think this is the power of culture art!

  2. Some people look negatively at installation art because they take up a lot of room and look dirty. Were there any difficulties in this aspect?
  Last summer, Rubber Duck was a main character of Jamsil Lake and many people came to see it. Rubber Duck was installation art. Rubber duck did not just try to mean playing games at an event, but thanks to the influence of Rubber Duck, people became interested in installation art. One of the features of installation art is that everything can be art. This means that there is power that you can enjoy in a certain space. And what matters is that people get out of people's thoughts and biases ‘What am I seeing with my own eyes?‘

  3. What was the work of art that you made from things that had the lowest possibility to become a work of art?
  Actually, everyone is surprised when they know the original purpose of all the work we made. The reason is that we use less artistic materials. The biggest advantage of installation art is that there is no discrimination in choosing objects for art. Thanks to that perspective, more works come out than I expect. So far we have used lace for a wedding hall as toilet paper, the lace of the wedding hall is filled with tissues; abandoned computers as wallpaper; and I have painted using a branch. However, among the many works of art I have created, what remains the most in my mind are those made from discarded garbage.

    4. Did everyone in the team specialize in art? If a person is not from an art major but still wants to learn installation art, what is the most important thing to keep in their mind?
  Our team is currently working with seven members, but only four members majored in art. So it is half-and-half. In fact, I don't think there is anything that young people should or should not have in mind. Think about ‘What I am doing? What I am good at?’. In any field, you should be able to make the most efficient decision from your choice.

  5. You hosted programs for citizen participation. What do you think is the most important thing when you plan?
  The most memorable of the five senses of people is tactile sense. Touch is the most powerful thing what makes people move. So we are communicating with people not just by ‘looking into their eyes’ but by ‘listening and touching them.’ A person’s own memory and the pleasure that they gain by tactile sense are more powerful than anything else. Therefore we consider past direct experiences importantly that we consider pursuing our own experiences.

  6. What are some common things that we can do to protect our environment?
  There is ‘no abandon disease’ for many installation artists. This is because artists are trying to make jewelry and trying to create other new artwork from their undone buttons. I think environmental protection makes me happiest and allows me to enjoy the work. In addition, I think it is more important to discard through a proper waste disposal system than to throw things away. Create as little waste as possible for benefit of the environment.

  7. Please share your opinions or advice for our college students on something that is not related to the environment!
  When I was in my 20s, I thought a lot about how to filter the things that I could not successfully do when thinking about a lifetime job’. What I learned through a variety of experiences is that if you have in your mind what you want to do and make a move, it can be achieved in society! It is most important to recognize your dream by speaking about your dreams and listening to them through your own ears. After that, organize your thoughts in writing and show them to other people. It will have more synergies than just to think and act by yourself!

    Nowadays, our society worries about the great danger facing the environment. In fact, there are statistics that state that it will require 1.5 trillion won to solve the problem in just Gyeonggi Province. Warm sunshine and sunny weather won’t exist in the near future … Is protecting the environment mandatory? If I think of protecting the environment as materials for works of art, not as a mandatory duty, a joyful and happy world will unfold. After you have read this article and seen the works of installation artists on the road, don’t be afraid and go ask them. “Can I use this waste?”