“The seven years we have been together always exist in seven members of BTS.” (RM, 2019 MMA intro video)
There is strength in numbers. Not just in the sense of collectivism versus individualism, but more so in the presence of symbolism and synchronicity. For ARMYs worldwide the number 7 has never been more prominent in our lives as it is now in 2020. 7 BTS members, 7 years since debuting and the title of BTS’ next album released January 7 - Map of the Soul: 7. Even the hashtag #7isComing trended #1 worldwide on social media the day the title of their newest album was announced.
Initially, the album’s title was a huge plot twist to the ARMY fandom who had long theorized a “Map of the Soul trilogy”, post the “Love Yourself trilogy”. This is not surprising considering Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung’s work on the human psyche heavily influenced BTS’ previous album Map of the Soul: Persona. Jung philosophized that the human psyche was made up of three distinct components; persona, shadow, and ego. Based on that knowledge, ARMYs theorized that Shadow and Ego would be the two remaining album titles in the Map of the Soul trilogy.
As we have experienced with the number ‘7’, there is also a poetic resonance to the number ‘3’. In biblical terms, Christians believe in the holy trinity as being the father, the son, the holy ghost and the trinity of graces as faith, love, and hope. In ancient mythology, the three graces were characterized as three Greek goddesses representing beauty, charm, and creativity (Seta, Biswas & Khare, 2016). Contextually, within the realm of creative expression, dance, music and architecture fuse with Jung’s Map of the Soul to explore the finer details of persona, shadow, and ego. This triangulation of meaning brings us to Black Swan and an exploration into the nuances of art film.
“The dance is the mother of the arts. Music and poetry exist in time; painting and architecture in space. But the dance lives at once in time and space.” - Curt Sachs
To provide context, I love dancing but have very poor rhythm and coordination. I love music, but lack in musical talent, except the ability to hold a note when singing and I am by no means an architect, but I do love the look and feel of old buildings. Therefore, it seems ironic (even to myself) that this writing is grounded in an artistic focus. As an educator, healer, and mother/grandmother I would argue that my love for creative expression paved the way for me to engage with Black Swan. As such, it is possible to appreciate art without being intimately acquainted with the finer details of the art world.
When “Black Swan” aired on 17 January, I, like many ARMYs around the world, waited expectantly, afraid to take my eyes off the screen in case I missed even a millisecond of the big reveal. The anticipation of waiting matched the enormity of the occasion and for that reason, I was unable to share this moment with anyone else. It was a very personal and intimate first viewing, free from unnecessary and unwanted distractions.
This first viewing was not a life-changing experience, not that the art film was created for that purpose. It was, however, an awakening. A glimpse into a world outside of my realm of knowledge and understanding. The fact that Big Hit produced “Black Swan” as an art film and not a music video is integral to Big Hit’s corporate philosophy. During an interview with “Time Magazine” in 2019, Big Hit’s Founder and co-Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Bang Si-Hyuk remarked that “art is one of the strongest mediums for revolution” and when an artist wants to speak out on social issues his role “is to refine the message in a way that expresses their sincerity and has commercial value” (Bruner, 2019).
That same year, Big Hit Entertainment held a Community Corporate Briefing where co-CEO Lenzo Yoon spoke about innovating and enhancing customer experience (Big Hit Labels, 2019). This philosophy was reignited at the launching of ‘Connect BTS’, a global art project that introduced BTS to the world as global patrons of the arts. At the heart of this project is the notion that customers can no longer be passive recipients of content. They need to be actively engaged in the experience; free to formulate their own interpretations of the content and messages shared. Art films resonate with this philosophy as they are a distinct genre of film that challenges the more popular (and mainstream) approach to experiencing art through the medium of cinema/film.
Inevitably, “Black Swan” is an emotion-filled art film that invites the audience to construct their own meaning from the experiences gained with the expectation that no two experiences will be the same. We are fortunate then, that as human beings our bodies are epistemological agents. In other words, our bodies, or more specifically our senses enable us to develop our personal knowledge and knowing of the world in which we live - physically, emotionally and intellectually. Therefore, what is seen, felt and heard will be unique to each person - exactly what art films are designed to achieve. As such, the audience transforms from a passive recipient of content to an active creator of our own reality, our own truth.
“Even if it hurts or we feel sad. We won’t let pain or sadness run our lives. We may feel afraid, but we won’t let fear hold us back from being BTS.” - RM
“Black Swan” reinforces RM’s ments, that in order for us to realize our potential we need to be prepared to look within and ask ourselves the hard questions. Failing to do so means we run the risk of becoming lost, both to ourselves and to the world in which we live. Questions such as, what do we want most from life? What excites us and makes our heartbeat? Conversely, what are we most afraid of? What are the fears, insecurities or anxieties holding us back? BTS reminds us that only by deconstructing our ways of knowing, doing and being will we be able to navigate our life’s journey with a sense of clarity and peace.
Through the collaborative contributions of BTS, Big Hit Labels and the Slovenian MN Dance Company, a natural triangulation of knowledge, skills, and experience occurred resulting in the creation of “Black Swan”. Since its release, social media has been rife with a plethora of theories and interpretations from audiences worldwide, all offering a perspective, an opinion, a point of view. ARMYs and the general public (non-fans) have engaged in deep and meaningful discussions on the merits (and failings) of the art film itself, the artists/dancers, BTS and Big Hit Labels. No-one is exempt and everything is open to critique and criticism.
The art film is both evocative and provocative – a perfect combination for ‘innovating and enhancing customer experience’. Some have been brought to tears by their experience, while others have felt displaced or disconnected. Some have criticized the noticeable absence of BTS, while others have celebrated BTS’ unwavering trust in the artistic direction of Big Hit. In essence, “Black Swan” is a creative form of self-expression, emphasizing the importance of experiential engagement. At the heart of this experience is BTS.
In the end, does the swan overcome and ascend or is it caught forever in its own blackness and only the intent remains? There is no denying that “Black Swan” has imprinted on viewers in a very profound way. Even after the playback has finished and the screen fades to black, “Black Swan” will always be an experience like no other.
DISCLAIMER: We do not own any audio & visual content in this video except for the editing. ALL RIGHTS BELONG TO THE RIGHTFUL OWNERS. No copyright infringement intended.
Written By: Mama Shelley
Edit By: Mheer
Comments