Depth of Eternity

Chanoo Park, artist note

I dare to...

Portray eternity, trying to embody the depth of it.

I know it sounds a bit too grandiose, but I still wanted to put it that way. I desired to show the things that have been 

in existence long before my presence, exactly as they stand. - the heavens, the sea, mountains, rivers, the wind...

When compared to wind and sky which are shapeless, or to mountains and the ocean that are immense, I found 

much more importance and greater weightiness in small pebbles that fit perfectly inside my cupped hands. The power 

of the stones is the result of endurance through the passing of time. They have withstood the strong winds, 

snowstorms, and a series of waves that thrashed against them, making them helplessly clash against one another. I 

sensed the implicit patience and fortitude of the stones.

I travel all around the country in search for particular stones that would suit me. Since 2009 I asked people around me and even peeped through website of rock collectors' club to find the best locations. I visited Yeoncheon, 

Yangyang, Hongcheon, Pyongchang, Yeongwol, Wonju, Jeongseon, Taeback, Samcheok, Jecheon, Chungju, Danyang, 

Bonghwa, Yeongju, Andong, Uljin, Yeongdeok, Ulsan, Gyeongju, Geoje, Tongyeong, Namhae, Yeosu, Goheung, Gurye, 

Wando, Anmyondo, Tacan, and Jeju. Out of those places, I've been to Yeosu and Bonghwa more than twenty times. 

Driving for about an hour and a half at minimum and up to five hours at most to arrive at the place and then 

strolling along the abandoned field full of stones for four to five hours are my remedies, my personal luxury that I 

like to enjoy just by myself.

I bring those stones I found at seashores and riverbanks to my studio, along with the unique feeling of depth and 

prowess of the places. Each stone seems to have its own face - its own history and stories to tell. Yet, it is quite 

difficult to run into one that I was hoping to find. For each travel, on my way back, my hands are full of less than a dozen of stones, but after taking photos of them at the studio, often times I somehow: feel empty-handed. The process 

of finding the right one is hard and like most work of art, it is unproductive.

After the photo shooting, I always bring the stones back to where they are from. I can't say that I'm a passionate 

environmentalist, but something tells me I just have to, Laying low..