I KNOW WHAT I’VE DONE
There is a myth in Lake Orta, in the Northern region of Piemonte, Italy. A certain Saint Giulio took it upon himself to build 100 churches in the region. He built 99, then looked to the island in the lake to build the last one. Villagers attempted to dissuade him, saying the island was solely inhabited by snakes; that it was the Island of the Snakes. He paid them no attention and headed to the island, slayed the snakes and claimed the island as his own. He built the last of the hundred churches there and died. A shrine to his name is still preserved in this church today.
<I KNOW WHAT I’VE DONE (2024)> is a film that imagines a brief revival and reencounter of the Saint and the Snake, wondering what the island would say if it had a tongue; wondering if the snakes could ever return, and if the snakes really were snakes.
San Giulio wakes up stranded on the shore of Lake Orta, wherein the Island of San Giulio is situated.
Robbed of his rightful place, he plays into the victimhood of this wrongdoing.
Soon he encounters a figure whom he recognizes but does not remember.
Then a bell rings, and he remembers.
It was the Snake he had stolen the Island from.
The Saint and the Snake compare their tongues.
This video was produced with the support of Arts Council Korea.
At the occasion of Ru Kim solo exhibition I KNOW WHAT I’VE DONE (2024) held in Seoul, South Korea at This is Not a Church, curated by Jieon Lee
I KNOW WHAT I’VE DONE
2024
Single channel video: sound, color
4K
00:16:40
Director: Ru Kim
Performers: Matteo Frasca, Ru Kim
Sound and Music: Artur Pispalhas
Camera Operator: Tommaso Valli
Editing: Ru Kim
Color Grading: trestudios
Costume Collaboration: Jiun Koo
Mentor: Simone Frangi
Korean Translation: Jieon Lee
Special thanks to Loïg Garcia, Yunsuk Lee, Simone Frangi, Sara Cattin, Antonella Cirigliano and the Cross Project team
