Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito 1-6-8 Goken-cho, Mito-shi, Ibaraki 310, Japan
Tel: +81-29-227-8111 Fax: +81-29-227-8130

TERRITORY OF MIND

Korean Art of the 1990's

From July 29 (Sat.) to October 10 (National Holiday), 1995
Curator
Shimizu Toshio (Artistic Director of Contemporary Art Center)
At the end of an era
The world has been changing rapidly ever since we entered the 1990's. Ideologies that had enchained people had disappeared and people who had been confronting each other before had now become friends. But it was only for a very short while. Constantly changing situations where former brothers shed their blood have sprung up in various parts of the world. The highly industrial societies have started to destroy the global environment before they have achieved happiness for the human race and people are beginning to have obscure anxiety about the future of mankind. People full of anxiety follow thoughtless words and begin to stop thinking for themselves. The ideals of modernism are beginning to come apart in various ways and in various places.
Rise of the new generation in Korea
But the end of an era is also the beginning of a new era. When the world changes cultures also change at the same time and new arts are born. Arts that are not smeared with old world ideologies but have new thoughts and new words have begun to appear in various parts of the world. The purpose of this exhibition is to introduce the arts of the new generation that is being born in Korea during the 1990's. Korea may be one of the countries that were tossed about the most by modernism. It was colonized by Japan who was in a haste to modernize itself, split into two different countries because of the confrontation between two modern ideology. Then, it has highly industrialized itself also through modernism and is faced with changing its culture, for the better or worse. Now the time has come for the big frame of modernism to crumble away. But the new wave came rapidly. The Korean artists of the 1990's generation had inhaled a breast full of the air of the new era and without having the time to be skeptical of modernism, they were released from its grip. And in various ways, they seem to have started walking along the path to overcome modernism.
5Artists
The exhibition will be introducing 5 artists who have attracted attention or have started their creative activity during the 1990s. The methods used by these artists differ. What is common between them is that they do not define themselves with external ideology but look at their existence with their internal "mind." In a world where various situations change from day to day, only your "mind" can act as your compass. These artists recognize themselves, and the world, through their "mind." Whereas many of the new American and European artists skeptical of modernism pondered over the new existence with their "body," the 5 artists introduced in this exhibition are questioning the meaning of man in the new era through their "mind." The amount of energy generated from the "mind" of these artists is tremendous and this exhibition should offer suggestions to many of those who are searching for the new era.
In search of a new relationship
This year marks the 50th year since Japan's colonial rule over Korea had ended and Korea had regained its independence. One of the motives for organizing this exhibition was the feeling of a need to build up a new relationship while still carrying on the burden of the unfortunate relationship between the two countries in the past. An exhibition solely by the young Korean generation has never been held in any public museums until now. I sincerely hope that this exhibition will bury this gap and that it will be the beginning of a relationship between those who live in the same era.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXHIBITION

Name:
Territory of Mind - Korean Art of the 1990's
Period:
July 29 (Sat.) to October 10 (National Holiday), 1995
Venue:
Contemporary Art Gallery, Art Tower Mito
Hours:
9:30 AM to 6:30 PM (admission until 6:00 PM)
Closed:
Mondays
Organizers:
Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito The Yomiuri Shimbun
Supported by:
Agency of Cultural Affairs
Grant from:
Japan Foundation
Cooperation:
TOP SYSTEM, CO., LTD., SHARP, co.Ltd., JINRO, co., KASHIMA SYURUI HANBAI, co., SOUM, co., SANWA SHOJI, co.
Curated by:
Toshio (Artistic Director of Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito)
Exhibiting artists:
Bae Bien-U, Hong Sung-Do, Yook Keun-Byung, Moon Joo, Choi Jeong-Hwa
Admission:
General public 800yen
Groups, advanced tickets 600yen
H.T.P. 1,000yen (1 year valid pass for people 15 or older and below 20 years old)
Free of charge for junior high school students or younger and senior citizens 65 or older
Tickets sold at:
JR East Japan Midori-no-madoguchi, View Plaza, Art Tower Mito Ticket Center
For information: Tel: +81-29-227-8111 (Art Tower Mito)
Related program:
Forum "Korean Contemporary Art"
Date & time:
July 30 (Sun.), 1995 10:30 - 18:15 (door opens at 10:00)
Venue:
Concert Hall, Art Tower Mito
Admission:
Free of Charge

EXHIBITED WORKS

Bae Bien-U
Title: Pines
Media: Photographs gelatin silver print
Installation using photographs of "pines" taken over a ten year period. For Bae, who specializes in photographs of landscape,"pines" have a special meaning. Says the artists, Bae Bien-U; "For the Korean people, pines are foundations for their soul." This work is structured around large photographs.
Hong Sung-Do
Title: Time travel
Media: automobile, stainless wires, etc.
Hong Sung-Do has been exposing the violence in objects one sees everyday in the scenes of modern culture. With the work, he scatters all over the exhibition room the parts of an automobile, a symbolic object of the 20th century modern culture, as though it had exploded.
Yook Keun-Byung
Title: The Sound of Landscape+eye for Field 1995-Survival is History
Media: Drawing, video, sculpture
This is an installation centered around a new video work. A new "hole leading to another world," replacing the "tombs" used up to now, will be exhibited.
Moon Joo
Title: Garlic Manhattan
Media: Video, garlic, etc.
Moon Joo structures his work by releasing the energy that lies hidden in the difference between the past and the present, and Oriental and Occidental culture. This work is on Moon Joo's experiences from over a year's stay in New York. The garlic spread out all over the floor forms New York while overhead, a new video about irrationality is shown.
Choi Jeong-Hwa
Title: 1) About "being irritated-Mazinger Z 2) I want to come to you and become a flower 3) Artificial evolution-Super flower
Media: Aero-ballroom robot
Choi Jeong-Hwa continues to give strong stimulation to the issue of how modern culture should be through the comparison of artificial and natural things. In the exhibition, installation using aero-ballroom robot (balloon made of cloth) will be installed within Art Tower Mito. BIOGRAPHY
Bae Bien-U/ Born in Yosu, Chollanamdo, in 1950
1977
Graduated from visual design department, Hongik University, Seoul, and receives master's degrees.
1988
Studies photography at department of Photo-Design, FH Bielefeld in Germany.
1991
Organizes and participates in "Horizon of Korean Photography" exhibition. This exhibition was held four times until 1994.
1993
A solo exhibition held at the Seoul Art Center.
1995
Participates in "Photography Today" (at Sonje Museum of Contemporary Art, Kyongju).
Bae, who is especially good at deeply spiritual scenic photographs, gained decisive appraisal with the series of works on "pines' released in recent years. Influential in the Korean photography circle through organizing of exhibitions and planning for magazines. Professor at Seoul Art Institute.
Hong Sung-Do/ Born in Chunchon, Kangwondo in 1953
1985
Graduates from sculptural department, Hongik University, Seoul.
1991
Graduates from Sculptural department, Pratt Institutes, New York. Returns to Seoul and teaches at the sculptural department of Hongik University. Participates in "New Phase of Contemporary Art 1991"(Seoul Art Center), "Ecole de Seoul" exhibition and other exhibitions.
1994
Holds solo exhibition at Seoul Art Center.
After living in Washington and New York, returns to Seoul on 1991. Continues to release new works while teaching at Hongik University. Aims to change Korean modernism sculpture.
Yook Keun-Byung/ Born in Junju, Chollabukto, in 1953
1983
Graduates from Kyung Hee University, majoring in western painting, and receives master's degree.
1989
Gives his first performances in front of Shinsegei department Store and other places.
1992
Participates in Documenta 9 (Kassel, Germany).
1993
Holds solo exhibition at Gallery Q (Tokyo).
1994
Holds solo exhibition at Kirin Plaza (Osaka), and participates in "Asia Art Show" (Hiroshima City Museum of Contemporary Art).
International artist representing modern Korea. Has gained world-wide recognition at Documenta 9 in Kassel. Early performances gradually evolve to reviving of Korea tombs, awakening the sleeping soul. The ability to inspire the spirit of the artists gives the impression of a modern-day shaman.
Moon Joo/ Born in Korea in 1961
1992
Graduates from art department, Seoul National University, majoring in sculpture, and master's degree.
1990
Participates in the 8th Sydney Biennale.
1993
Holds solo exhibition at Total Museum (Seoul). Participates in "The New Generation Tendency in Korean Contemporary Art" exhibition (Seoul Art Center).
1994
Participates in "Promenade in Asia" exhibition(Shiseido Gallery, Tokyo).
One of the representative artists of the new generation in Korean art in the 90s. Creates new values by using the differences between cultures as references. Currently lives in New York and quietly watches the modern civilization of the 20th century, but with sharp eyes.
Choi Joung-Hwa/ Born in Seoul in 1961
1987
Graduates from the western painting department, Hongik University, Seoul.
1988
Participates in "After Modernism" exhibition (National Museum of Contemporary Art, Kwanchon, Kyongki-do).
1990
Participates in "Mixed Media" exhibition (Kumho Museum, Seoul).
1992
Participates in "Floating Gallery" (Warehouse, Tokyo).
1994
Participates in "4th Asian Art show Fukuoka" (Fukuoka Art Museum).
1995
Participates in "Visions of Happiness" (International Exchange Forum, Tokyo).
Leading figure among the representative artist of the new generation in Korean art in the 90's. Releases distinctively characteristic work at each exhibition that stimulates the modern society. Actively organizes exhibitions, publishes magazines and designs cafe bars. Currently lives in Seoul.

FORUM "Korean Contemporary Art"

July 30 (Sun.), 1995 Concert Hall ATM

The objective of this forum," Korean Contemporary Art," is to give an outline of Korean contemporary art from a historical perspective and has been planned and organized to commemorate the opening of the "Territory of Mind-Korean Art of the 1990's" exhibition. We sincerely hope that this forum, together with the exhibition introducing the most recent trends, will further deepen your understanding of Korean contemporary art.

OUTLINE

Organized by:
Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito
Date & Time:
July 30 (Sun.), 1995 10:30AM - 6:15PM(Door opens at 10:00AM)
Venue:
Concert Hall, Art Tower Mito
Speakers:
Kim Young-Soon (Dae Yu Foundation of Culture, art historian, art critic), Lee Young-Uk (art critic), Lee Ihn- Bum (art critic), Chung Joon Mo (art critic)
Coordinator:
Shimizu Toshio (Artistic Director of Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito)
Admission:
Free of charge
PROGRAM (with an interpreter)
10:00
Door opens
10:30- 10:40
Introduction
10:40-12:10
Kim Young-Soon "Modern art in Korea"
12:10-13:30
Lunch and tour of the Gallery
13:30-15:00
Lee Young-Uk "Mass Art"
15:00-16:30
Lee Ihn-Bum "Korean artists active overseas"
16:30-16:45
Coffee break
16:45-18-15
Cung Joon Mo "New generation artists of the 1990's"
18:30-19:30
Reception party (at the Conference Hall, Art Tower Mito)

Another Information

  1. Weekend Gallery Talks Gallery talk is offered by art education volunteer staff every Saturday and Sunday from 14:00 and 15:30. People wishing to participate should gather at the Gallery entrance. Free of charge.
  2. Support Program
  3. Internet / Homepage http://www.soum.co.jp/mito/ Information regarding events/exhibition organized by Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito can be obtained through World wide Web sever on Internet, courtesy of Soum Corporation.
  4. CRITERIUM (Entrance fee in admission tickets for "Territory of Mind" exhibition)
  5. How to get to Art Tower Mito
Media coverage and publishing of articles related to the exhibition Please kindly note the followings;
  1. When publishing articles related to the exhibition, please include the title of the exhibition in the article.
  2. When using photographs in the article, please include the captions of the photographs. we have photographs available which can be used. For further information, please contact Hosogane at Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito
  3. Please contact us in advance when wishing to take photographs, films or videos of the exhibition hall and/or exhibited works.
  4. +81-29-227-8111 should be given as the inquiry telephones number in the articles.
  5. Please kindly send a copy of the article to Hosogane at Contemporary Art Center, Art Tower Mito.
mori2@st.rim.or.jp,Tsukasa Mori, Curator, Contemporary Art Center ART TOWER MITO
jun@soum.co.jp, Jun Ebihara,Soum Corporation