Gyeongsang National University Research Professor Kim Jiyul publishes the photo poetry collection 『Heterotopia of Silence』

- A joint project with photographer Park Hyun-gyu; photo exhibition and book talk at Jinju Mungo in November

- Expands the spirit of the 1923 Jinju Hyeongpyeong Movement to today’s issues of discrimination and exclusion

Gyeongsang National University (President Kwon Jinhoe) announced that Institute for the Humanities Research Professor Kim Jiyul (poet) has published the photo poetry collection 『Heterotopia of Silence』—which weaves together some 50 black-and-white photographs of stones and poems—co-created with photographer Park Hyun-gyu (Saemi Publishing, 206 pages, 18,000 won).

This book is a work in a series that follows My City, Your Heterotopia and Poetics of Heterotopia 1·2, which illuminated Jinju and compiled the spatial discourse of modern poetry. In an age when language and images incessantly flood and are consumed, the authors ask anew what the unspoken—that is, “silence”—can testify to. They read human existence and historical memory on the surfaces of stones captured in black and white.

The stones in the book are not the striking rocks of famous mountains and great rivers. They bear traces of cracking and collapse as they endured harsh wind, rain, and weathering in the shadows of industrialization and urbanization. In the fissures and chiaroscuro held by the black-and-white stone photographs, Professor Kim captures countless expressions of human existence—from the smile of an ascetic and the weary commoner’s desire, to a revolutionary’s passion, a mother’s sorrow, and the face of a fetus.

The book is composed of six parts: “Immobility (不動),” “Relief (浮彫),” “Equity (衡平),” “Baekjeong (白丁),” “Endlessness (無窮),” and “Non-action (無爲).” Among these, the 3rd part, “Equity,” and the 4th part, “Baekjeong,” link reflections on individual existence to historical memory. Starting in Jinju, Gyeongnam in 1923, the spirit of the “Hyeongpyeong Movement,” which cried out for the abolition of status discrimination and human dignity, is expanded to today’s issues of discrimination and exclusion, and the name “Baekjeong” is drawn as a portrait of the era that embraces those pushed to the margins of history.

This line of thought touches on Michel Foucault’s concept of “heterotopia (a heterogeneous space that ruptures the established order).” In the book, “silence” is both an empty void and another space of language carrying new possibilities. Hence the poet reads human faces and “wordless words” in the silence of nameless stones. The photographs and poems are independent works that broaden each other’s meanings; the stillness created by the photographs and the poet’s honed language confront readers with another silence.

A special event to commemorate the publication will be held in November at Jinju Mungo. Under the theme “What do stones testify to in silence?”, a photo exhibition will be held November 17 (Tue)–23 (Mon), and on November 20 (Fri) there will be a book talk with readers.

Professor Kim said, “The shock and sense of indebtedness I faced before the photographs 27 years ago has borne fruit in this work after long reflection and silence.” Kim added, “I hope readers will gaze at the world beyond the works through the words extended by poetry and photography, and discover new questions for thought.”

Debuting in 2009 with Sisasah, Professor Kim has published the poetry collection My Name Is Guunmong and the studies My City, Your Heterotopia and Poetics of Heterotopia 1·2, and has received the Jinju Literature Award, the Minister of Education Award, and more.

A graduate of the Department of Korean Language Education, College of Education, at Gyeongsang National University, photographer Park has received the Bronze Prize at the Dong-A International Photo Salon and the Gold Prize at the Korea Photo Artists Association Busan Branch National Contest. He has held two solo exhibitions, and papers include “A Study on the ‘Found Object’ in Photography.”

·Photo description:From left: Research Professor Kim Jiyul and the cover of the photo poetry collection 『Heterotopia of Silence』

Department in charge:Institute for the Humanities | Contact: 055-772-2508 | Email: kimhsuk2790@hanmail.net

This page is provided via AI machine translation. Some inaccuracies may occur. For official purposes, please refer to the original document.