• Interview with Byungjun Kwon about "On the Bird’s Day"

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• Since 2018, you have been presenting a series of works incorporating robots. What led you to choose robots as your subject?

I have worked on stories about marginalized individuals in society to give them a voice. In this context, I wanted to create an even more marginal character to connect with the audience, and that's how the robotics project began. I created 12 robots, each reaching out to the public, which triggered various reactions reflecting people's perceptions of marginalized individuals. Some people shook their hands, others were surprised, and a few even gave them coins. Robots, as objects of study, seemed to be a comfortable medium for me to work with, and I continue to explore and develop them in this context.

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• <On the Bird's Day – First Episode: The Fear of the 13 Ahae>, presented at the 2024 Seoul International Performing Arts Festival, bears an interesting title. Can you tell us more about the title and what this work is about?

is a play that uses 13 bipedal robots moving through space, changing formation and creating a narrative. The "13 Ahae" (children) are borrowed from a poem by Yi Sang and refer to these robots, while their "fear" becomes the motif of their movements. These robots form a garden, become a forest, and eventually represent the nature that birds dream of.

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• How is the exploration of the act of walking related to the indefinite anxiety of the 21st century? I am curious why the title includes "birds".

The indefinite anxiety of the 21st century seems largely to stem from an obsession with success for survival and fear of falling behind. Among the three elements "heaven, earth and man", humans are supposed to live with their feet on earth and their eyes turned to the sky. However, in modern times, we seem to be floating, focusing more on the ground than looking up. I think the anxiety that lurks like a ghost is part of our lives and reflects the sad state of a society that has forgotten to take care of itself. As I created robots, I realized that even the act of lying down, then overcoming the weight of your body to get up, is a miraculous feat. I also learned how difficult it is to take a step forward. I want to focus on walking, not as a way to reach a destination, but as a tool for thinking, breathing and healing. Through this, perhaps we can take a step back from the many anxieties and concerns that plague us. "On the Bird's Day" is a title inspired by a song by my band Wonderbird. Although it's a bit of a fantastic imagination, on "On the Bird's Day," there are robots that appear to be walking forest spirits. I wanted to create a story about birds, as forgotten and alienated beings, as did humans in the forest of buildings, and the history of the forest they left behind.

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• What was your main concern when creating this work?

As with the first one, I'm filled with both excitement and anxiety. These robots have been developed over a long period of time, but they are still in their infancy — hardware that has just learned to take its first steps. I've focused on technical limitations, how to turn these limitations into art, and I'm in the process of finalizing that.

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• Your exploration of the "meaning of bipedalism and the act of walking on the ground" is intriguing. Could you elaborate on what attracted you to this theme?

People who are familiar with long walks may have experienced spiritual enlightenment or healing through the walk. From the moment we plant one foot and raise the other in the air, there is a wealth of science and human control involved — gravity, friction, balance, etc. This repetitive act of walking is not just about going from one place to another. I hope that by confronting this unusual form of walking, the public will be able to reflect on their own first steps.

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• You chose to express this idea through bipedal robots. What deeper meaning or questions arise when exploring human experiences through robots?

As I mentioned earlier, humans are so familiar with walking that we take it for granted. We only question it when we can't do it properly because of health or other problems. That's why robots are an appropriate medium for this exploration. By understanding how they work and overcoming their limitations, we are discovering new approaches that go beyond human experience.

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• Why do you choose live performance instead of capturing robot movements via video or other media? How important is this live format and is there any new technology you are introducing into this room?

The robots I make, which are almost like artisan creations, have qualities that can only be fully appreciated in person. The imperfections and clumsy movements of these low-budget machines, as well as their subtle vibrations and mechanical sounds, are more powerful in a live performance format. I also have plans to create a mechanical room or opera without human actors in the future. In this room, I created a steel scene and developed bipedal robots that use electromagnets, allowing them to change direction with only two engines. They can rotate on site, walk sideways and even walk backwards.

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• The performance description mentions "an experimental sound created by real-time synthesis and variation". Can you explain what this is all about?

Many scenes feature robots performing group dances and tap dancing in synchronization. I sample these sounds, recompose them and modulate them live using granular synthesis. At the same time, I also use various instruments to enhance the shamanic character of robots. The combination of live sound, robot movements and robot shadows projected on the white cube will make this performance even more dynamic. I hope you'll look forward to it.

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• This work is the first part of the "On the Bird's Day" series. Could you share your future plans for the show?

This performance is the beginning scene for the 13 robots, with many improvised elements involving motion, sound and shadows. In the future, I plan to refine control and material, and move towards a more structured series based on narrative.

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