Vigiology : Single-channel Video Art of 5 Artists
September 1th - October 12th, 2008
Artists: Kim Sejin, Shin Kiwoun, Lee Hakseung, Ha Joonsoo, Cho Youngaah
Opening Reception: 6PM, September 1th, 2008
Conference: 4PM, September 27th, 2008
Sponsor: Gallery Sangsangmadang, Korean Society for Imaging Science and Technology
Organization: Gallery Sangsangmadang
Admission of exhibition: 1,000won
Visiology: The Single-channel Video Art of 5 Artists 展 includes artists who will show the new trends and tendencies of Korean Media Art. The group of artists was chosen to represent the unique signs of the age of visual culture as the exhibition title suggests. The title indicates the consciousness and sensibility of the generation who is living in a culture mainly focused on visual senses.
When we look at the background for the planning of the exhibition, it is clear the exhibition was made with an awareness of the fact that people have been saying that there is a crisis in Media Art. As one can see the signs in other art genres such as Koreanization, industrial arts, or printmaking, such vague symptoms indicate that this critical situation has seemed to mobilize Media artists, curators, and critics in the art field. They continuously affect the art scheme and shake things up even if on an unconscious level.
The advancement of Media Art in Korea has been encouraged by young artists and foundations that have provided diverse visions since the millennium. Therefore, Media Art became a profound motivation in the advancement in contemporary Korean art. However, the briskness of the art market today seems to have only caused a depression in Media Art. The core of aspiring Media Art supporters and curators has even moved to other fields. The biggest worry is the small number of artists who are actually doing constructive and active work. The number of curators is also very small. It is clear that we need to do some self-examination at this point rather than merely looking for the causes and solutions to overcome this difficulty.
In another context, people are also expecting to see what is next after Nam June Paik (Post-Nam June Paik). To answer these expectations, there are number of Media art exhibitions, held in between 20 to 30 museums or galleries in Seoul this year. They all try to propose what the future of Media Art in 21th century might be. Visiology: The Single-channel Video Art of 5 Artists 展 is also relevant to these efforts.
When we consider that each moment in life comes to pure actual existence for the artists, the created images and their experiences are more than just general expressions. In addition, it is not going to be easy to select assorted images that include individuality and uniqueness in the spectacular form of aesthetics of contemporary art, especially taking the visual aesthetics of the senior generation to be the basis.
[This is quoted from east-bridge]
