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| Installation view of "Youth." / Courtesy of D Museum |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
An exhibition at the D Museum in Hannam-dong, eastern Seoul, centers on youth, the awkward yet brilliant time of one's life.
"Youth is something that everyone experiences and passes by. That's why adolescence is so innocent, passionate and brave," D Museum's curator said.
The exhibit, featuring some 240 works including photographs, videos and installations, is divided into two sections and sheds light on the multifaceted emotions of youth.
Works on the first floor explore the darker, rebellious side of youth, dating back to the 1950s.
"Youth exists throughout human history, but the youth culture as a subculture began after the World War II in England. The youngsters in the upheaval of the society developed their own culture," the curator said. "The youngsters, colliding with social norms, created a unique culture bursting with energy. It carried over to Germany when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989."
British photographer Roger Mayne took pictures of children and teenagers of London in the 1950s and '60s, which documented the birth of youth subculture such as hippies. Derek Ridgers is the next generation's photographer who captured various styles of British subcultures such as punks, fetishists, teddy boys, mods and goths since the late '70s.
Ryan Garshell is a skateboarder and videographer whose works explore skateboard culture as an insider.
It is interesting to see similarities and differences among the youth culture in each country. Russian designer and photographer Gosha Rubchinskiy captures the Russian youth culture developed amid the collapse of the Soviet Union. American artists Dash Snow, who died of a drug overdose at the age of 27 in 2009, took instant photos during parties studded with sex, drugs and violence. Doug DuBois' "My Last Day at Seventeen" series carries portraits of teenagers in Ireland coming of age.
Korean artist Lee Kwang-kee's neon signs reading "Your child is only lovely in your eyes" and the music of Swedish rapper Yung Lean, who earned fame through YouTube videos "Ginseng Strip" and "Hurt," spice up the exhibit venue adorned as a club.
While the first floor features more daring and defiant works, the second floor is closer to the traditional white cube gallery aesthetic.
However, the walls are covered with Ryan McGinley's "Yearbook," a photographic installation of 500 nude portraits of artists taken by McGinley. Also on display is his nude against the backdrop of fantasy-like landscape series inspired by the Hudson River School.
Paolo Raeli's photographs makes dull everyday moments shine as he captures his close friends spontaneously.
Andrew Lyman's "Chris and Sarah" series show everyday life of an ordinary couple. The use of moving images among photos is an example of how artists employ technology. His other series "Southern Comfort" is displayed in various sizes and shapes of frames, as if over a family's fireplace.
Paul Franco's film "FASTbeat" features an interview with fashion brand Vetements' designer Demna Gvasalia, depicting the life and sensibility of youth in this rapidly changing world.
The exhibit runs through May 28. For more information, visit www.daelimmuseum.org or call 02-796-8166.
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