SaJu - Fortune Telling
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Courtesy Ilmin Museum of Art @Studio Masil
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Courtesy Ilmin Museum of Art @Studio Masil
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Saju literally means “four pillars” in Korean. These four pillars are determined by one’s birthday, and represent one’s birth year, month, day and hour. Similar to a western horoscope, Koreans believe that the exact timing of birth holds the key to one’s destiny. There is a Korean word called palja that most people have never heard of. It means “eight characters” and shares similar ideology with Saju. For each of the four pillars in Saju, there are two characters that represent either heaven or earth. This means that each human can have a total of eight characters each symbolizing different things. There are also five elements: wood, water, metal, earth and fire. No one can possess all five elements because we only have four pillars. This is a beautiful way of acknowledging that nobody is perfect. Walking through the streets in Seoul, you can find Saju cafes, Saju tents, offices, and many other places where you can learn about the future. At the beginning of the new year, many Koreans visit various fortune-telling businesses. There is great interest in people who would like to learn more about their destiny. Often it is difficult times or situations that make you more interested in the future and possible fate.
Courtesy Ilmin Museum of Art @Studio Masil
Courtesy Ilmin Museum of Art @Studio Masil
Saju literally means “four pillars” in Korean. These four pillars are determined by one’s birthday, and represent one’s birth year, month, day and hour. Similar to a western horoscope, Koreans believe that the exact timing of birth holds the key to one’s destiny. There is a Korean word called palja that most people have never heard of. It means “eight characters” and shares similar ideology with Saju. For each of the four pillars in Saju, there are two characters that represent either heaven or earth. This means that each human can have a total of eight characters each symbolizing different things. There are also five elements: wood, water, metal, earth and fire. No one can possess all five elements because we only have four pillars. This is a beautiful way of acknowledging that nobody is perfect. Walking through the streets in Seoul, you can find Saju cafes, Saju tents, offices, and many other places where you can learn about the future. At the beginning of the new year, many Koreans visit various fortune-telling businesses. There is great interest in people who would like to learn more about their destiny. Often it is difficult times or situations that make you more interested in the future and possible fate.
Work/Exhibitions History
2019
Participatory Performance
Tent, table, chairs, computer, korean paper, sign, etc
200x200x200 cm
Photo: Kyoung hyun Min, Ji hyung Song
2021
Exhibitions
Fortune Telling, Ilmin Museum of Art, Seoul, KR, 2021
FIKTIVA Media Art Festival: URSPRUNG 2019, Düsseldorf, DE, 2019
SaJu-fortune telling, Baustelleschaustelle, Düsseldorf, DE (Solo), 2019
SaJu-fortune telling, Hotel zur alten Stadtmauer, Lübeck, ,DE(Solo, Event), 2019
2019
Participatory Performance
Tent, table, chairs, computer, korean paper, sign, etc
200x200x200 cm
Photo: Kyoung hyun Min, Ji hyung Song
2021
<Do You Want to Know Your Destiny>
Single channel video, sound, 18’ 58’‘, 2021
Single channel video, sound, 18’ 58’‘, 2021
Exhibitions
Fortune Telling, Ilmin Museum of Art, Seoul, KR, 2021
FIKTIVA Media Art Festival: URSPRUNG 2019, Düsseldorf, DE, 2019
SaJu-fortune telling, Baustelleschaustelle, Düsseldorf, DE (Solo), 2019
SaJu-fortune telling, Hotel zur alten Stadtmauer, Lübeck, ,DE(Solo, Event), 2019