 “Memory” by Jang Dong-soo is part of the “2050 Future Scope” exhibit at the Savina Museum of Contemporary Art. / Courtesy of Savina Museum of Contemporary Art |
By Cathy Rose A. GarciaStaff Reporter
Can art and science truly mix? The Savina Museum of Contemporary Art seems to think so, as it presents its new exhibit ``2050 Future Scope.''
At first, art and science appear to be contradictory fields. Art is all about creativity and imagination, while science relies on logic and facts. Both the artist and scientist are ``naturally curious observers, asking the same question: `How will I portray the world?''' A scientist will look for the answer through experiments and research, while an artist will present his or her imaginative view of the world through art.
Savina Museum curator Woo Sun-mi said ``2050 Future Scope'' is the exhibition's attempt to look at the future through the eyes of artists and scientists.
Prior to the exhibition, Korean artists met with scientists to brainstorm for new ideas. After their meeting, the artists took the scientific knowledge and used it to create new works.
``There were attempts to bring together scientists and artists in the past. However, one of the reasons it didn't work out was because the scientists were too busy to stay committed to the project. During the process of creating new artwork, some scientists were traveling abroad and unable to provide assistance to the artists. Some were hesitant because they didn't think art wouldn't benefit them in any way within the scientific society,'' Woo said.
For the exhibition, Woo said scientists were asked to give inspiration to the artists before the actual production of the artworks. She added this is the first time art and science have been brought together in a Korean art exhibition.
The results of the unique collaboration between artists and scientists are on display at the museum. The exhibition is divided in four sections that tackle the most important scientific issues of the future.
The first section tackles global environmental change and its far-reaching effects. Lee Hee-myung visualizes the impact of environmental changes on humans and nature, with his series of slugs with human faces and creepy-looking plants.
In the second section, the artists deal with the future of brain science and artificial intelligence. Jang Dong-soo used his expertise as a medical illustrator at the research section of the Yonsei University College of Medicine to create sculptures of the human brain. In ``memory,'' Jang said he wanted to ``illustrate the part of our memory that we want to hold on to forever.''
Another section revolves around the theme of space, time and virtual reality, so the installation works by Oh Chang-geun and Seo Kyung-jin use modern computer technology.
The final section is about nanotechnology, which deals with the control of matter on an atomic and molecular scale. It has a diverse range of applications in medicine and electronics that Kil Hyun and Roh Jin-ah tackle in their art.
Woo said the exhibition shows that art and science can benefit from each other. ``This exhibition is an attempt to collaborate and provide an opportunity for a friendly union between artists and scientists,'' she said.
The museum is located near Anguk Station (Subway Line 3, Exit 1) and closed Mondays. Visit www.savinamuseum.com or call (02) 736-4371.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr
