From
October 31 to December 7, 2024, Laheen Gallery presents 《Blue Ginkgo》, a solo exhibition by Goyoson.
In
this exhibition, the artist brings forth a cherished memory from his past and
unfolds it within the temporal and spatial frame of the present. The driving
force behind 《Blue Ginkgo》 is a memory from the artist’s childhood and his renewed way of
sensing that memory today—markedly different from how it was once perceived.
For instance, when the artist now sees yellow ginkgo leaves, he no longer views
them as he did before. Instead, he projects them against the blue of the sky,
as though the memory has matured and now manifests itself as a kind of
imaginative phenomenon in the present. Through this exhibition, Goyoson
explores how the faintly visualized objects of recollection—unclear forms
conjured by memory—and the distinctly vivid feelings they evoke internally come
together.
As
mentioned, the scenes derived from a single memory inevitably contain foggy,
blurred fragments, which emerge during the act of recollection. To express
these splotchy aspects of memory, the artist unfolds a non-linear temporal
structure within the exhibition, traversing past, present, and future. The
spatial layout of Laheen Gallery, comprising four floors and an external
garden, resonates with the artist’s narrative. Upon arrival, visitors first
encounter a sculpture in the outdoor garden that resembles a pair of praying
hands. Inspired by the hands of the artist’s mother, this piece invites viewers
into a state of immersion as they proceed to the first floor. Inside the
gallery’s ground level, a work featuring a “dead bird” appears
unexpectedly—like a leaf swept in by the wind—offering a dramatically
unfamiliar beginning to the journey.
With
a sense of estrangement from reality, visitors ascend to the second floor,
where vaguely formed sculptural pieces and ginkgo leaves scattered across the
floor invite a more direct and interactive engagement. Finally, on the third
floor, a fence visible through the window is echoed by a similar structure
installed inside the gallery. At first glance, it appears to replicate a scene
from everyday life. However, this transposition of an outdoor element into the
exhibition space inverses interior and exterior realms, blending reality with
illusion and encouraging the viewer to reconsider what they previously deemed
clear and defined.
This
exhibition marks a significant milestone in Goyoson’s practice, as it is the
first time he has activated the entire gallery—including corridors and
staircases—as part of his installation. By observing how the artist navigates
space and how each floor’s distinct pieces interact to form a cohesive
narrative, viewers may come closer to understanding his artistic intentions and
gain a deeper appreciation of the exhibition.
Text
by Eunyoung Cho
