시간의 형태: 1989년 이후 한국미술 Shape of Time: Korean Art after 1989

October 21, 2023 – February 11, 2024

Philadelphia Museum of Art

 

서도호, 마이클 주, 바이런 김, 함경아, 정연두, 권하윤, 임민욱, 강서경, 장지아, 오인환, 유니 김 랑, 김계옥,이수경, 윤상희, 박경근, 정은영, 오형근, 박찬경, 손동현, 안세권, 김주리, 오재우, 유의정, 주세균, 노순택, 신미경, 하지훈, 여선구 등 28인. 

 

 

 

OH Jaewoo (b. 1983), Let’s Do National Gymnastics!, 2011​

 

28 Korean Artists Shine a Spotlight on the Vibrancy and Complexities of Their Country and Explore the Dramatic Changes Reshaping Korea Since the Late 1980s

 

Through the lens of 28 Korean artists, all born between 1960 and 1986, The Shape of Time: Korean Art after 1989 focuses on South Korea’s growing influence on the world stage and how the country continues to grapple with its past.

 

The late 1980s was a time of great political change for South Korea. Its long-standing military dictatorship transitioned to a legitimate democracy, and an international travel ban was lifted, creating opportunities for global engagement, powerful economic growth, and cultural exchange. This marked an important turning point for South Korean artists as they began to connect in earnest to the global art scene.

 

Using a variety of mediums, including ceramics, painting, fiber, photography, lacquer, installation, metalwork, mixed media, embroidery, video, and performance, these artists explore themes like conformity, displacement, gender and sexuality, coexistence, and dissonance, making universal connections that offer a deeper understanding of South Korea, its history, and its culture.

 

The featured artists, 12 of whom are women, are well established in South Korea and Europe but newer to an American audience.*  Examples include:

 

 

“Korea has a growing and vibrant art scene, so including the Korean voice is crucial to a more fully realized and inclusive global art narrative,” said Sasha Suda, George D. Widener Director and CEO. “In presenting this exhibition, we are introducing new voices—ones that have experienced this pivotal place and time in history firsthand—to share their unique perspectives. The Philadelphia Museum of Art is honored to create a platform for these powerful works and to help tell these authentic stories.”

 

“The timeframe of this exhibition was a formative one for South Korean artists and is aptly reflected in the exhibition’s title, which refers to an individual’s conception of the present and future as framed by and predicated upon memories and experiences of the past. Our hope is that through this exhibition, we tell this story and inspire a wider audience to learn more about this mighty nation,” said Elisabeth Agro, Nancy M. McNeil Curator of American Modern and Contemporary Crafts and Decorative Arts, and Hyunsoo Woo, Pappas-Sarbanes Deputy Director for Collections, the exhibition’s co-curators.

 

The Shape of Time: Korean Art after 1989 opens on October 21, 2023, and will be on view until February 11, 2024. A small number of the artists whose work is featured in the exhibition will be on-site at the Philadelphia Museum of Art during installation and for the opening celebration. A multimedia tour will be available, featuring audio, images, and videos. The exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue that will not only be the first major English-language publication to feature many of these artists, but also will make a significant contribution to the interpretation of and scholarship on contemporary Korean art and culture.