MOLBA, MOLKA 2022

In June 2021, the Human Rights Watch named South Korea as the number one country in the world for spy cam
(몰카 mol-ka) use and its usage for digital sex crimes. More than 30,000 cases of filming with the use of hidden cameras were reported to the police between 2013 and 2018. Unsurprisingly, more than 80% of the 26,000 victims of reported cyber-sex crimes that involved illicit filming from 2012 - 2016 were women. As most perpretrators of these crimes receive, if any, suspended sentences, victims are left in a constant state of fear both in and out of their homes. The privacy of their bedroom walls merely marks where the crime took place, whereas outside, they're in a constant state of paranoia of encountering an abuser who now roams free knowing their victim's face and address.

Molba, Molka (뭘봐, 몰카?), which translates to "What are you looking at, Hidden Camera?" aims to highlight the psychological and emotional distress of hidden camera victims, which follows them long after encountering such privacy-invading incidents. The walls of the free-standing bedroom is lined with one-way mirrors so that the inhabitor of the room can not see outwards but the outside viewers can peer in – the line between a viewer and a voyeur becomes blurred.  I personally lived inside the installation within the gallery  for approximately 6 weeks, taking in the paranoia derived from unidentifiable noises, silent eyes, and the blatant lack of privacy.

The installation was on view at the Yale School of Art November 18, 2022 to January 10, 2023 as part of the SCREENED group exhibtion. A performance to activate the piece was held on December 7, 2022. It was hand-built, painted, and furnished with 2x4's, plexiglass, one way mirrors, and the privacy of my bedroom.