The Game for Respect
Seogyo Sixty 2009 – The Game of Respect is organized as an extended and subsequent edition to the previous year’s The Battle of Taste. We will prepare this edition of Seogyo Sixty, inviting a list of artists recommended by art professionals as they have proven their own artistic tastes and values, willingly or unwillingly, in the Korean contemporary art scene. Today a variety of values, systems, and powers collide and conflict with each other forming a balance. This is the case not only in the field of art, but also everywhere in politics, economics, society, history, and so on. The Game of Respect is what we find in common among people who coexist in such the increasingly convoluted society of today. The Game of Respect is a fight for respect and the desire for respect. And then, what is this respect actually for? When asked this question, it will eventually be up to each individual’s matter of taste.
The world of pluralism and diversity is, on the other hand, based on only a single truth of strict monism. It is a single truthful value and strength of direction to the value that leads us to a spiritual birthplace, safely or throughout the vicissitudes of life and leads us to not to lose our way or our mind in the middle of such diverse values of pluralism. The reason that the miniature universes of people, which are as numerous as grains of sand, go glimmering and disappear while the world still operates normally is the very singular value that jumps out of the net of pluralism. A lot of people combat each other individually for their own individual values. This still seems valid in contemporary visual arts.
Emerging artists as emerging artists, established artists as established artists, and master artists as master artists all present their aesthetic experiments and explorations in the unknown world in the name of art. All jump on the wagon of competition in an effort to be recognized by others. There are of course some who refuse to join the secular game of respect. However, it is a foul in the rules of the game. Their choice is no longer considered in the context of art. Such choice now becomes more of an outlook on life or a certain way of living. It is not a matter of criticism and it is also an admirable and even respectable choice. Therefore, we could say that “The Game of Respect” we are dealing with here is very small in area, which still deserves respect as well. Standing in the middle of a justifiable choice, we will gather as many opinions of art professionals working in the field as possible. We would like to show the utmost respect to their views. We think it is also a process in the game of respect.
Some will find the idea of a respect game in the concept of “respect battle” by Alexandre Kojéve (1902∼1968). Kojéve understood the progress of history in Hegel’s philosophy based on “struggles between masters and slaves” and the “life-death dialectic” and defined a “respect battle” as the main concept. Kojéve stated that the slaves or the subjects of productive activities play a crucial role in the progress of history. It may sound ironic in the distinction between the master and the slave. It is an inversion of values. For the master, the slave is a laborer. Making a logical leap, the creative laborers, or artists are the heroic slaves in the progress of history. And they are the subjects in the battle of respect. We can catch a glimpse of the relationship between the subject and the other through this process of a respect battle.
Some could think of a pro wrestlers’ battle shown in the World Wrestling Entertainment or Smack Down on a cable TV network. The wrestlers twist the arms of each other and yell at each other. Spitting at their opponent, they bawl at the rivals furiously “Respect Me!” It sounds like the roaring of a lion in battle. Even these powerfully-built muscular men, seemingly to have descended from an Olympian mountain, shake their fists to get respected.
We can sense such desire for respect in the spectacular scene of contemporary art. A lot of artists around us display their artistic tastes and abilities quite freely. The goal of the values and tastes they have may be different, but no one can deny the simple and basic desire to be recognized and respected. The game of respect in art is, ultimately, an effort to transcend a sense of futility and something ephemeral for the limited being and to seek after eternity, which is immortality. However, such respect is a respect between limited beings and a respect from oblivion, whether it is unilateral or bilateral.
Seogyo Sixty 2009:
The Game for Respect
March 7th - April 5th, 2009 l Part 1
April 10th - May 10th, 2009 l Part 2
Opening Reception Part 1: 6PM, March 7th, 2009
Part 2: 6PM, April 10th, 2009
Venue: KT&G Sangsangmadang 1/2/3F
Artists:
Part 1
Gu Minja, Koo Hunjoo, Kim & Hyun, Kim Saebyuk, Kim Seungtaek, Kim Jimoon, Roh Jungyun,
Lye Hyunmi, Moon Moowang, Park Jaeyoung, Park Cheonwook, Back Hyunhee, Sata,
Sin Donggeun, Yun Sunggi, Yileghkheri, Lee Moonho, Lee Miyeon, Lee Yeleen, Lee Yousun,
Yiida, Lee Jaehoon, Lim Sodam, Chang Sungeun, Jeon Jieun, Jung Yunhee, Cho Hyejeong,
Choi Chongwoon, Choi Jiyoun
Part 2
Kwak Cheoljong, Koo Hyunmo, Kwon Sengwoon, Kwon Soonyoung, Kim Aejung,
Kim Youngsaok, Kim Woonyoung, Kim Yunjae, Kim Eunsoo, Kim Jungok, Kim Hyena,
Moon Junghyun, Park Byounglae, Bahc Yeongju, Park Jihye, Byun Junghyun, Woops,
Lee Sunkyung, Lee Jaebum, Lee Jongmi, Lee Jooyoung, Lee Junyoung, Jeanie Lee,
Cho Moonki, Cha Donghoon, Chun Youngmi, Choi Kichang, Chu Mirim, TW, Han Yeonggwon
SeogyoSixty
SeogyoSixty is an art festival which presents a chaotic arena filled with the images of passionate and energetic young artists that takes place at Sangsangmadang. The exhibited work has been carefully selected from entries from visual artists of various genres. The exhibitions is designed to measure and test the direction of artistic, youth culture in Korea and give the audience sense of Hongdae’s unique, cultural energy.
Poster
Program
[Event/Peformance] venue: 2F Gallery
3.07[Sat] 6PM Part 1_Opening Event/Peformance
4.10[Fri] 6PM Part 2_Opening Event/Peformance
[Artist Talk] venue: 2F Gallery
3. 28[Sat] 4PM Artist Talk
4. 25[Sat] 4PM Artist Talk
[Archive & Art Market]
3.07[Sat]-5.10[Sun] 1-10PM Seogyo Archive: Artists portfolio archive (venue: 2F Gallery)
3.07[Sat]-5.10[Sun] 1-10PM Art Market (venue: 3F Art market)
[Seogyo Square]
Infomation Desk / A general introduction to the exhibition and the 60 participating artists
will be provided on the 1st floor Art square.
[Docent Program]
5PM Weekend Starting from the 1st floor Art square, Seogyo square
