Redefining 'family' in Asian contemporary art

Lee Kang-Seung's "Imaginaries of the Future" offers an insight into the lives of members of the LGBTQ community in a book lounge-style setting as part of the 2020 MMCA Asia Project "Looking for Another Family" exhibition. Courtesy of MMCA

By Kwon Mee-yoo

The definition of family has changed over time and a new exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) sheds light on the new definition of family, departing from the conventional idea of a "normal family," which consists of a married couple and their children.

MMCA director Youn Bum-mo said the 2020 MMCA Asia Project "Looking for Another Family" provides an opportunity to introduce diverse and dynamic Asian contemporary art.

"As this time of global crisis marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the innovative work of the Asian artists in this exhibition and their collaboration will hopefully communicate the spirit of social solidarity and coexistence to the world ― the message should particularly resonate in Asian territory," Youn said.

The exhibit is part of the MMCA's effort to discover a new critical perspective on Asian contemporary art. Established in 2017, the first edition of the project was the 2018 exhibition "How Little You Know About Me."

The idea for this exhibition stemmed from the first exhibit, which emphasized the value of individuals.

"There are many different types of families from the one-person household to the alternative family, but they require explanation if not the 'normal family,'" curator Park Joo-won said. "A family is more than just blood ties. It provides love, support and solidarity, but also involves restrictions and responsibility. It could either be positive or negative. This exhibit began from the question, 'What is a shape of family?'"

Park said the term family in this exhibition is used to emphasize social solidarity.

"So in this exhibition, family is not the traditional definition of family as parents and their children, but those who build social solidarity are called family," the curator explained.

"Looking for Another Family" features 15 teams of artists from eight Asian countries ― Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines.

"We tried to diversify the range of participants and researched artists outside of each country's capital or major cities. Then we picked artists whose work fits with the theme of this exhibit," curator Park said.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, international artists could not visit Seoul to install their work.

"Instead, we had a lot of conference calls, reporting the progress and sharing news from different countries. The process reminded us of the meaning of solidarity and family amid the 'new normal' in the COVID-19 era," Park said.

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Even the opening ceremony was substituted for an online livestream, with participating artists having a look around the exhibition online and sharing their thoughts.

Isaac Chong Wai's "One Sound of the Futures" / Courtesy of the artist and MMCA

The exhibit begins with Lee Kang-seung's "Imaginaries of the Future," a bookstore-lounge that offers an insight into the lives of members LGBTQ community. The installation consists of multiple pieces as the artist shares the space with other artists of the queer community. Visitors can read LGBTQ-related books from shelves, archived in collaboration with literary critic Oh Hye-jin and predict the future in "The Future Perfect," created in collaboration with Beatriz Cortez. Drag artist MORE will present a performance, while Lee presents a series of drawings inspired by Tseng Kwong Chi, who died from AIDS in 1990.

Dew Kim's "Kiss of Chaos" interprets queerness in relation to multiple layers of shamanism in a K-pop style music video. The catchy tune and stylish video discusses the blurring boundaries of queerness and gender, centering on the physical performances of shamanic activities.

Indonesian artist Tandia Permandi's photo series "Self Portrait" reveals how the artist explores his identity through art. He is the first-born son in his family in a culture where the first-born boy is of evil presage. He grew up being forced to act feminine and shows a sociocultural identity that defies even LGBTQ categories.

"This showcases diverse state of individuals in different societies," curator Park said.

Korean-Japanese Jong Yu-gyong questions the nationality of Koreans through the hot topic of military issues. Upon the revision of the Military Service Act in 2018, Jong, who was born and grew up in Japan, was designated to serve mandatory military service, along with other second-generation Korean men who were born abroad and lived in Korea for more three years. Inspired by the popular song portraying sentiments of young Korean males, Jong presents the layers of military service in Korea through YouTube comments and paintings reinterpreting North Korean propaganda posters.

Taiwanese artist Ni Hao's "Structure Study" employs a familiar musical instrument - a recorder. Asian students are required to learn and play Western folk songs using the cheap plastic flute and Ni relates the idea to imperialism pervading the educational system.

Isaac Chong Wai's 2016 three-channel video "One Sound of the Futures" was filmed in three different places ― Kai Tak Runway Park in Hong Kong, Democracy Square in Gwangju in Korea, K11 Artist Village in Wuhan in China. Each student states what they think about the future, which varies widely even though they are in the same group.

RESBAK's "Everyday Impunity" is a collage of social media images of people fighting against state-endorsed violence. RESBAK stands for "Respond and Break the Silence Against the Killings" and this collective of artists promotes awareness of human rights.

Dew Kim's "Kiss of Chaos" / Courtesy of the artist and MMCA

Japanese artist Atsushi Watanabe unravels his experience as a hikikomori, a reclusive person who withdraw from society in extreme isolation, in "7 Days of Death." The video documents Watanabe confining himself in a concrete facility for a week and breaking out of it on the final day.

Filipino choreographer and dancer Eisa Jocson approaches life of female immigrant workers in an entertaining way in "SuperWoman KTV," featuring Karyn White's song "Superwoman," which is very popular in the Philippines. By erasing certain parts of the song's lyrics, Jocson brings layers of meanings from the song, installed in karaoke style.

TURO-TURO, a project groups of 98B COLLABoratory, HUB Make Lab and KANTINA, brings a handful of Filipino snacks to the museum and visitors who participate in answering the artist's questions on the meaning of community and roles of art can have them.

Indonesian group Jatiwangi Art Factory collaborated with Korean group Budnamugage to create a real estate agency at the museum, asking visitors to invest in the land in Jatiwangi and take part in the Lettuce Festival and Moringa Mysteria Workshop in return.

Chinese artist Wang Tuo's video "Obsessions" takes visitors to the Fusuijing Building in Beijing, which embodies socialist ideals but remains as a failed structure now.

The exhibit runs through July 8. Currently, the museum is closed till June 14 to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and will only be available to view through online reservation afterwards.