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| "The International of Memories" by Seo Dong-jin is on view at the "2020 Title Match Yang Ah Ham vs. Dongjin Seo ― To the Wavering," held at the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art. / Courtesy of Seoul Museum of Art |
By Kwon Mee-yoo
Artist Ham Yang-ah and critic Seo Dong-jin discuss how to interpret modern society and the common denominator of temporality in a video on show at the new exhibition "2020 Title Match Yang Ah Ham vs. Dongjin Seo ― To the Wavering" at Buk-Seoul Museum of Art in northern Seoul.
The "Title Match" series is an annual project at the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art, for which two artists are invited to experiment on the possibilities for competition, conversation, and collaboration. For the first five years, it matched veteran artists with aspiring artists, but and let down the age barrier last year, opening up more possibilities.
This year's Title Match took a step further and sought change by inviting a theorist for the first time, bringing a new depth of discussion to the exhibition.
Instead of competing against each other under the same theme, Ham and Seo chose to converse with each other on modern life.
"Despite the subtle differences in their stances and approaches, the two refine their common position in solidarity, support, and trust, and try to find the answer to what we should do together," the exhibit's curator Yoo Min-kyung said.
The exhibition's title "To the Wavering" is a translation of German playwright and poet Bertolt Brecht's "An den Schwankenden."
"In the face of structural violence within the social system and global disasters, we are all left wavering. So what can we do to bring about change in the world? What kind of relationships should we have with other members of society?" the curator explained.
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| Ham Yang-ah's "Undefined Panorama 3.0" and "Nonsense Factory" are on view at the "2020 Title Match Yang Ah Ham vs. Dongjin Seo ― To the Wavering," held at the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art. / Courtesy of Seoul Museum of Art |
Ham's installation "Nonsense Factory" (2013) features a wavering platform and two videos paying praising creativity and master craftsmen. After going over the swaying platform, Ham's new video "Undefined Panorama 3.0" examines the unconsciousness narratives of individuals and society.
"Ham attempts to determine how individuals and society can find a balance in today's unstable situation of social flux due to populist politics," Yoo said.
Ham said she tried to raise the issue of determining people's life from economic dimensions.
"Humans are complicated creatures and they cannot be judged for economic reasons. However, in this neo-liberalist society, money has become the most significant criterion," Ham said.
As a critical response to Ham's work, Seo brings in the narrative of a Utopian past. Seo's new work "The International of Memories" is a collection of scenes with flags selected from movies from the 1920s to the 2000s.
"With the flags embodying the notions of past and Utopia, Seo brings back historical images from the past filled with expectations for a new world," Yoo noted. "When we think of past, we usually relate to war or massacres from a historical context and retro boom from a commercial aspect. However, Seo tried to look back at a time when people fought together for change."
Seo said the role of contemporary art is to seek the future.
"Though we live with a tacit agreement that there is no better future, we should revive the past to expect the future," he said.
The exhibition leads into a lounge where "Dialogue," the video of the conversation between the two is screened. Also on view are archival materials to help attendees understand the two. Ham's "Studio" features images that influenced the artist, and her sketches, while Seo's "Flag Library" consists of books he recommends and excerpts from them.
The exhibit runs through Feb. 14, 2021. Admission is available upon advance reservation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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| "Dialogue," a video of a conversation between critic Seo Dong-jin, left, and artist Ham Yang-ah, is part of the "2020 Title Match Yang Ah Ham vs. Dongjin Seo ― To the Wavering" exhibition at the Buk-Seoul Museum of Art. / Courtesy of Seoul Museum of Art |
