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Artists: Ha Young Kim, Sang Jin Kim, Sea Hyun Lee, Sejin Park, Meekyoung Shin
Curator: Simona Nastac
The exhibition is part of Kingston Welcomes Korea Festival
Taking its title from a poem by South Korea’s most cherished poet Ko Un, described by Allen Ginsberg as “a force of nature, a combination of Buddhist cognoscente, passionate political libertarian, and naturalist historian”, the present exhibition invites us to consider pivotal questions about our global impact as a species, whilst reflecting on how today’s world-building processes can be re-imagined by employing non-aggressive values and ways of co-existence derived from Buddhist and Eastern spirituality.
Using different media, Korean artists HaYoung Kim, Sangjin Kim, Sea Hyun Lee, Sejin Park and Meekyoung Shin explore the problems inherent to the Western perception of reality, as well as its representation, through their distinct sensibility and otherness, which can be a potential source of renewal for our understanding of being-on-earth.
HaYoung Kim’s interests lie at the confluence of science, technology and consumerism. Working with painting on polyester canvas and drafting film, Kim aims to explore how the ubiquitous forces of digital technologies and the ever-expanding consumption of goods are affecting the human brain. Her work prompts us to ask ourselves: is this the future of human evolution?
Sangjin Kim uses sound and time to explore cognitive processes and adjustment to natural cycles. His installation “Meditation” consists of Buddhist percussion instruments called ‘moktaks’ (wooden fish), used by monks to summon the temple community to daily rituals and work. Shaped as a fish with a big eye, the moktak symbolizes awakening, inviting us to reflect on better ways for us to work and live.
Sea Hyun Lee paints mesmerizing landscapes in red on white, resembling scenes from a high-fantasy novel. Yet, the real subject is the Korean Demilitarized Zone, one of the most symbolically loaded landscapes in the world. Drawn from Lee’s memories of military service, when he surveyed the area at night through infra-red goggles, the painting invokes a lost natural world and speaks about the pervasive consequences of war.
Sejin Park is captivated by the existential questions posed by Gauguin: “Where did we come from? What are we? Where are we going?” In her paintings motives seem to be pure and freely moving people thrive amidst luxuriant nature. Yet, the ruins are striking reminders of lost civilisations, whilst Buddhist symbols and Mandala designs express her concerns about human detachment from the consciousness of the universe.
Meekyoung Shin is renowned for her recreation of Eastern and Western reliefs in soap, constantly expressing translations of the religious, historical and cultural differences between the East and the West. In the West, the notion of permanence and the defiance of death are highly-praised values, both in life and art; in the East, the leading traditional value has been transience. Remodelling ancient iconic sculptures out of soap, Shin shows us the pure beauty of this impermanent material as a telling reminder of the fact that our history could easily be washed away.
Text: Event's Facebook Page
