O Woomi Chung

1430 Cecilia Avenue, Coral Gables, FL (with Walter K. Lew)

Things become more visible and accessible when it is cleaned. However, it is probably impossible to completely purify one's inner space because constant movement in it generates wind to call in dust. That is, we cleanse the space to invite dust. 

'1430 Cecilia Avenue, Coral Gables, FL' is an observation and confession that we attempt to empty our minds but end up being filled with willingness to the empty state.

In the dark, here is a house under construction. Candles and sages are lit on a small concrete hill and lights are being dispersed from the corners. Following the lights, one can see that some images are being projected. One of them is on a wall of sun parlor, and in front of it sits and old, ragged chair. 

The physical and active invitation by the projection light, candle, sage and chair lead people to the space of seeming purification. However, they encounter the illusive image that constantly falls into filled-ness and devastation. It is a mindscape that consists of candle and incenses, which once lit the scene but ends up being buried as a layer of devastation, which repeats. The cycle of purification and pollution continues when the scape gets once again filled with light.

In a nutshell, what had seemed to be a guiding light to the 'emptying' house turns out that it not only sheds light on the space but projects images that constantly ends in filled-ness. The imperfect and repeated cycle of mindscape geared towards emptying resembles the building that had been demolished to be rebuilt, emptied to be refilled to be emptied again, the projected image reflecting it.

Is  '1430 Cecilia Avenue, Coral Gables, FL' optimistic about emptying one's mind? Or is it pessimistic?

Yes and yes. The piece implies that the focus of emptying should be more on the ceaseless efforts than the achievement. It suggests a view regarding inability/difficulty to accomplish the ultimate, complete emptiness, and this question can only be raised when one is motivated towards it.