Gasping for air

[Paper pieces by children at the Wonju Hanji festival last weekend.] I'm woefully behind, and have spent lots and lots of time w/my sis and her husband. Last night, I got piss drunk over Cass (Korean beer) and Korean-style fried chicken, and now I'm getting sick. The all too familiar sore throat has kicked in.

[Dak bark hanging and frames for pulling paper at the festival.] I spent another night in the hotel and it nearly killed me. It's hard living in such a densely-populated and polluted city. I've sacrificed my foot for fashion but yesterday had a great meeting w/a gallery owner and two other artists. Turns out that I had emailed one but she never got my email!! We are living similar lives right now, except that she wants to get out of Korea to do art and I came here to try. She offered her place to stay in, which is in a faboo location, but I'm first going to check out the TINY studio that my mom found for me today. If I can handle how small it is, we'll put down the money tomorrow and I can move immediately. If not...I'll have to consider one artist's home or another.

Tonight I saw the Han River, which cuts thru the city. I still feel overwhelmed and could use a breakdown but don't have the time. I'm also on the verge of another inappropriate friendship with someone I've met four times. But, OH!!! I nearly forgot. The lifesaver in the midst of this crazy time: Anish Kapoor. Yesterday before the gallery meeting, I went to Kukje Gallery (their "new space") to catch the tail end of his solo exhibit. I walked into the main gallery on the first floor and almost wept. It wasn't just the first piece (whose optical illusion TOTALLY tricked me), it was the fact that the gallery was built slightly below ground, with a huge door that slides open to reveal a gorgeous garden. It was like a vision of what I want my life to look like. At least, my home life (if I ever freaking get to have a home). I also saw Rhee Ki Bong's solo show at their regular space, and the first piece ALSO slayed me: two books in a huge blue tank of water, being propelled around the tank, floating and falling, by a forced current. It was perfection.