Olga Lah
Translation
2010
Books, fencing
Dimensions variable
To “translate” means to cross over without being able to carry everything. For Olga Lah’s art installation, Translation, the artist explores the concept of translation as a metaphor for how our lives are experienced and informed through the interpretation of our memories. Through our life’s journey, the artist considers, what is experienced and carried through into our lives? What moments are translated into the greater story of our reality? Translation is about the narrative of life and how the perception of our memories shapes whom we are choosing to become.
The white pages of books at the far right end of this installation metaphorically reference the future with the hope that our personal and collective narratives will continue in the possibility of transformation and hope.
Olga Lah is a second generation Korean-American, born and raised in the Los Angeles area. She now resides in Long Beach, California. She received a double B.A. in Studio Art and Art History from the University of California at Riverside. She also received a M.A. in Theology from Fuller Theological Seminary. Her interest in the intersection between theology and art led her to an art practice exploring these themes in site-specific installations and sculpture. She creates works that point to ideas on existence, transcendence and memory.