In this story
- Begin with the Unit Attached to Each Number
- 20 Countries Describes Where the Wrappers Were Collected
- 30 Cities Is the List Created by the Work Titles
- Several Cities within One Country Increase the Number of Works
- The Works Are Distinguished by City Names
- 10 Works from the Series Can Be Viewed with a Meal at Mahina Vegan Table
- Distinguishing 20 Countries, 30 Works and 18 Country Labels
The short answer
Kim Hongrok explains that he collected wrappers from 20 countries. The 2013 series contains 30 city-titled works, and their country labels yield 18 unique names. The figure 20 describes the collection range, while 30 is the number of completed works, so the counting criteria differ.
Three Ways to Read the Numbers
- 20 is the number of countries in which Kim Hongrok says the wrappers were collected; 30 is the number of city-titled works.
- The titles of the 30 works contain 18 unique country names.
- 10 of the 30 works are on permanent display at Mahina Vegan Table.
Into the story
Begin with the Unit Attached to Each Number
Placed side by side, 20 and 30 can appear to contradict each other. But 20 is the number of countries in which the wrappers were collected, while 30 is the number of city-titled works. They are not two counts of the same object.
Counting the country names in the titles of the 30 works without repetition produces 18. Accordingly, 20 is the number of collection countries, 30 the number of works, and 18 the number of countries named in the work titles.
20 Countries Describes Where the Wrappers Were Collected
Kim Hongrok explains that, with help from people around the world, he collected hamburger wrappers in 20 countries.
Those 20 countries describe the collection range and use a different counting basis from the 30 completed works. The numbers count different things.
30 Cities Is the List Created by the Work Titles
There are 30 city-titled works, from Anchorage to Warsaw. Each work is listed with a city and country, medium, artist and the year 2013. The country names yield 18 unique entries.
Taking the country labels written for the 30 works exactly as listed and removing duplicates gives 18: America, Argentina, Brazil, China, Costa Rica, Czech, Greece, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, Kuwait, Oman, Philippines, Poland, Spain, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.
Several Cities within One Country Increase the Number of Works
Among the 30 titles, the United States is represented by Anchorage, Atlanta, Chicago, Honolulu, San Francisco and Seattle; Japan by Chiba, Fukuoka, Nagoya, Niigata and Tokyo; and China by Guangzhou, Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenyang.
Because one country can have several city works, 30 works and 18 country labels are not contradictory.
The Works Are Distinguished by City Names
Seen together on one wall, the repeated logo and colours may attract attention first. Each work carries the name of the city where its wrapper was collected as its title.
Looking at the wrapper graphics and city title together makes it possible to distinguish how visually similar works connect to records of different cities.
10 Works from the Series Can Be Viewed with a Meal at Mahina Vegan Table
10 of the 30 works in Kim Hongrok’s 2013 series A Clue to the Recovery of Authenticity: McDonald’s are on permanent display at Mahina Vegan Table.
During your meal, choose a few nearby works and compare their colours, text and graphics. Then check the cities and countries in the official titles to see how wrapper imagery varies from one city to another, even within the same country.
Distinguishing 20 Countries, 30 Works and 18 Country Labels
- Does 20 Countries Mean That 20 Works Were Made?
- No. 20 is the number of countries in which wrappers were collected; the completed series contains 30 city-titled works.
- How Many Countries Are Named across the 30 Works?
- The titles contain 18 unique country names.
- Are All 30 Works Currently Exhibited at Mahina Vegan Table?
- 10 of the 30 works in the series are on permanent display at Mahina Vegan Table.
- Where Can I See the Complete List of Cities?
- Kim Hongrok’s page for his second solo exhibition in 2013 presents all 30 city-titled works in sequence.
Continue through the city-titled works from 2013 and the exhibition's development on Kim Hongrok's website, kimhongrok.com.
View More Kim Hongrok Exhibitions
