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BYUN SHI-JI · FŪDO 058

Kunguru juu ya Ukuta wa Mawe

Crows on the Stone Wall

1980 · Jeju, early period

Byun Shi-Ji (변시지), Crows on the Stone Wall, 1980, painting from the early Jeju period, shaped by wind and dried-grass colour.

Artwork text

Juu ya ukuta wa mawe
kunguru wamekusanyika.
Na lundo la mawe lililo mbele yao —
ukilitazama kimya,
linaonekana kama watu waliojikunyata wameketi.
Bega kwa bega,
vichwa vimeinama,
wamekusanyika kuwa bonge moja.
Mbali baharini
mashua moja inaelea.
Ndege wanaweza kuruka,
lakini watu waliokuwa mawe
hawawezi kuondoka mahali pale.
Je, walingoja muda mrefu kiasi
hata mtu akawa jiwe?
Je, waliobaki, wakimngoja yule aliyeondoka,
waliegemeana
wakaganda kama kaburi moja?
Mashua iko mbali,
na kungoja kunabaki nchi kavu.
Lundo hilo la mawe si kitu kilichokufa.
Ni umbo la watu waliopoteza maneno yao
wakimngoja asiyerudi.

Key context

Byun Shi-Ji alikuwa mchoraji wa kisasa wa Korea aliyeiona Fūdo ya Jeju si kama mandhari ya nyuma, bali kama sharti la uwepo. Upweke, kusubiri, upepo na rangi ya nyasi kavu huunda usasa wa Kikorea wa kijumuiya-kienyeji, uliokita mizizi mahali na kufunguka kwa dunia.