Performers
move on “Floor of the Forest" (2008) by Trisha Brown at “MOVE: Art and
Dance since 1960s” at the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea in
Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. / Courtesy of NMOCA
Two very different yet interesting exhibitions are going on at the
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea (NMOCA) in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi
Province. The museum has come up with an exhibition reviewing the work
and life of a veteran Korean artist and the other exploring performance
art. Though the idea of the two exhibits seems poles apart, they have
one thing in common — they display artists’ challenging spirit and
reflection on society.
MOVE
“MOVE: Art and Dance since 1960s,” held at the Circular Gallery and
Gallery 1, is beyond the ordinary museum experience, where viewers just
appreciate artworks from a distance. Instead, it invites spectators to
become part of the exhibit and it is completed with their participation.
It was originally curated by the Hayward Gallery in London in 2010 and
traveled to Haus der Kunst in Munich and Dusseldorf’s Kunstsammlung in
2011. The Korean exhibition is reinterpreted in a cultural context and
several artists created new works.
Stephanie Rosenthal, chief curator of the Hayward Gallery, said the
exhibition is about choreography, which doesn’t necessarily relate to
dance, but more of designing movement. She also emphasized that viewers’
participation is pivotal in “MOVE.” “Audiences communicate with artists
through engagement and participation. Visitors are participants and it
is their responsibility as a part of it,” Rosenthal said.
Participating in “MOVE” might need some courage at first due to the
solemn concept of an art museum, but this exhibit is completed when a
visitor steps in and moves as directed. Pay attention to the people
wandering around the gallery with casual attire in leggings or dance
shoes as well, because they are performers who infuse life into the
artworks.
Upon entering each gallery, visitors can tear off a piece of paper that
works as a guide and makeshift mat. Visitors should also feel free to
take La Ribot’s chairs around the gallery and sit on them.
Pablo Bronstein’s “Magnificent Triumphal Arch in Korean Colours”
resembles a pagoda found at Buddhist temples in colors of “dancheong,”
or traditional multi-colored paintwork. Eight times a day, a performer
dances around the arch, as if courting the artwork.
Trisha Brown’s “Floor of the Forest” (1970/2012) brings daily routine
movements into dance. Performers move on a clothesline-like installation
and wear or take the clothes off the line. Visitors can also walk on
“The Stream,” which is composed of pots and pans of various sizes
installed outdoors.
William Forsythe’s “The Fact of Matter” (2009) might look like
gymnastics equipment, but the artist focused on how the body burdens
people hanging on rings. Joao Penalva’s “Road Solos,” which choreographs
traffic controller’s hand signals, is a work created for the Korean
exhibition.
At the center of the Circular Gallery, visitors can watch video clips
from its archive of visual arts material regarding dance and movement.
The exhibition continues at Gallery 1 where more “movement” awaits.
Visitors can play with hula hoops while watching Christian Jankowski’s
“Roof Top Routine” (2008) or follow the directions of MadeIn Company’s
cultural fitness exercise.
Lygia Clark’s “Penetration, ovulation, germination, expulsion” (1968)
allows the spectator to discover their senses in a different way. The
participant goes through darkened wooden boxes and a transparent vinyl
sphere, sensing and experiencing the concept of penetration, ovulation,
germination and expulsion.
A museum attendant narrating a description is part of Tino Sehgal’s
“This is propaganda,” while Janine Antonie’s “Yours Truly” (2010) is a
secret piece of work that only selected people can participate in “pas
de deux” designed by Antonie. And don’t forget to check your pockets or
bag before leaving the exhibition as you may find something unexpected.
“MOVE” is NMOCA’s effort to think outside the box about the museum’s
future through encounters with other genres of art other than just
painting.
Admission is 4,000 won. Some performances are held every day or happen
all the time, while some are only available on weekends. The MOVE
Weekend program “On the Spot,” featuring diverse performances based on
Korean context, will be held every Friday and Saturday from 2 p.m. to 6
p.m.
Ha Chong-hyun Retrospective
At the Main Hall and Gallery 2, a retrospective of Ha Chong-hyun, a key
person in Korean contemporary art history, is being held.
The exhibit displays Ha’s works in chronological order, beginning from
his earliest pieces in Art Informel Movement. Ha became interested in
texture in the 1960s and works such as “Untitled B” (1965) reveal his
attempt to explore various materials when examined closely. In his
“Naissance” series drawn in the late ’60s, the artist experiments in
geometric abstraction by weaving paper strips.
He was a member of the Korean Avant-Garde Association in the early ’70s
and continued to experiment with new materials. He put wire
entanglements on canvas and even put barbed wire around his artwork to
protest against the political and social situation then.
His signature “Conjunction” series began in 1974, as a result of seeking
a novel, unique way of expression. He pushed paint out from the back of
hemp canvases, creating unmatched textures. The paint oozing out from
behind is clearly visible in his early works. As time went by, he added
more strokes.
In 2008, Ha put three of his “Conjunction” series on a large canvas and
wrapped them with barbed-wire at “Conjunction 08-101” and embarked on
“Post Conjunction” works.
“It was to remind me not to reduplicate the long-running ‘Conjunction’
series anymore,” Ha said during a press conference. “I didn’t use many
colors in my art throughout my life and I thought I was missing color.
That’s why I decided to plunge into the world of color.”
His recent works still have the signature paint coming from the back of
the canvas but are filled with vibrant colors, raising hopes for the
77-year-old artist’s future.
Admission is 2,000 won or 5,000 won for a combined ticket with “MOVE.”
Ha will give a talk on July 18 at 2 p.m. Both exhibits run through Aug.
12. For more information, visit www.moca.go.kr/engN or call (02)
2188-6114.
Children show aprons on which they wrote their names in Korean during a class at Seorae Global Village Center in Seoul in May 2012. /courtesy of Seorae Global Village Center 
Visitors chat at a guesthouse near Hongik University in Seoul. 
The Great Stagnation
Fashion Muse
By Janet Shin
and most importantly, harmony, determine overall face impression. These are important for physiognomists, or face readers to read one’s destiny. A capable physiognomist should be able to `see’ a person’s spirit, behavior, thoughts and the way of life by just looking at the face because crucial factors form the face in a descriptive way.
glorious but bumpy life paths.
