Jeong Dahee, one of Korea’s most well-beloved independent animators (“Movements” (2019), “Man on the Chair” (2014), “La Chambre Noire” (2011), among others) released a new award-winning short this year, titled “Society of Clothes.”
“The Society of Clothes” takes on Jeong’s typical Absurd sensibilities by following an outfit without a body. In fact, in this alternate cityscape, most clothes function without bodies. We watch our faceless protagonist try on different hats, slip on gloves, and struggle to slip on their runaway shoes. Then, with what seems like a sigh, we follow them on their morning commute alongside swaths of dresses, suits, tees and ties, as they bump into one another, nod off on the subways, and — get this — try on new clothes.
Jeong has a penchant for looking to fine artists for inspiration, and “The Society of Clothes” is no exception. Viewers might recall the faceless figures of Surrealist painter René Magritte, as depicted in the bowler hat-clad “The Son of Man” (1946) and the many me splashed across the grey skies of “Golconda”. Spacious views of the city painted with broad brushstrokes of light recall the urban scenes of Edward Hopper and empty canvases of de Chirico.
Jeong, however, is not as interested in alienation as much as she is in unspoken intimacies. “The Society of Clothes” is awash with the bright pastels of David Hockney and a whimsy unique to her own — giving us a sweet taste of what it means to live in a world more connected than we might otherwise believe. At once intriguing and delightful, “The Society of Clothes” marks yet another memorable addition to Jeong’s oeuvre.
“Society of Clothes” played in Cartoons Underground 2024.
