Wonjin Kim

​​​   <A Vestigial Trace Study> is a visual exploration of spoken language and the physical mechanisms that produce it, specifically how articulatory muscles work and the diversity of ways utterances can be produced. Different languages are shaped by the physical structures that produce them; the minute movements of the articulatory muscles and how they are stimulated and moved. This varies according to cultural and regional differences, and it is these differences that distinguish the way each language is pronounced and its phonetic characteristics. The uvula plays an important role in controlling airflow and modulating the voice when pronouncing, and humans are the only species to have developed a uvula, thus given the capacity for fine-tuning of pronunciation, as suggested in the research.

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   Interestingly, however, studies have also shown that the absence of the uvula doesn't impair speech. This suggests that the production of complex language is not solely dependent on physical structure, but also on how we stimulate and use our articulatory muscles, while at the same time relying on more complex neural mechanisms, such as neural networks in the brain. Thus, the idea that “our uvula is an adjunct to language and may be another evolutionary marker that distinguishes humans from other mammals, along with language ability,” coupled with the idea that “the uvula may not be an essential component of language ability,” reflects the complexity of the language production process. These conflicting findings, accompanied by the physical experience of listening to different languages over a long period of time while contemplating their pronunciation structures, and feeling the different pitch of the voice in different languages stimulating different muscles in the mouth at different points, provided the starting point for this work.

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   <Echoes of Reason> is composed of about 80 three-dimensional shapes and 160 drawings that depict them. Each net represents the unfolding of a three-dimensional shape and serves as a metaphor for the structure of language and the process of thinking about it. Copper (Cu) is a highly conductive and durable metal, thus revealing the continuity of the transmission of speech and physical movement. Copper also has the property of changing its surface during oxidation, symbolizing the process by which language is transformed and reconstructed, and how it changes over time, even within a single person and culture. The unfolding of the copper, which is not completely folded, is placed in space to symbolize that language is not a fixed system but is in a constant process of change depending on the situation and context of the utterance. Language combines various concepts in the mind, and its structure changes depending on the situation.

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   This process of linguistic thinking is characterized by variation and multi-layered structures. Linguistic thinking is not just a regular structure but creates new meanings through diverse variations and combinations within it. The three-dimensional structure, like the process of folding and unfolding a three-dimensional net, changes every time the point of unfolding the net is set differently, which to me is a way of expressing that language is not a perfectly closed system, but a diversity of interpretations.

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   Vibration is a key element of spoken language. Speech relies on tiny vibrations in the articulatory organs to produce and modulate sounds, travels through the air, and returns to vibrate our eardrums. At the center of each articulator is a vibration motor connected to a spring, which is covered by a silicone skin that is subtly shaken by the vibrations. The vibration motor produces different patterns of vibration, different amplitudes of the vibrations, and different weights of the pendulum, which all contribute to the difference in utterance. The silicone mass visually symbolizes the role of the uvula, and the articulation and trembling demonstrate the relationship between language and physical mechanisms.

 

   <A Vestigial Trace Study> explores the complex interplay between language and the body, examining the uvula as an important factor distinguishing the linguistic abilities of humans and animals. It also incorporates research showing that the absence of the uvula does not significantly impact speech. Language itself is fluid, and the nuances and errors that occur in its articulation create a unique landscape of fleeting moments. Three-dimensional unfolding nets, vibration motors, and silicone forms are used as devices to visually investigate this intricate interplay of language, the body, and verbal thought. Through this, I examine the interaction between language and the body, illustrating how the human linguistic thought process is intricately intertwined, and capturing the present space where differences and imperfections in this process can be perceived as beauty.​​​