One
of the most important roles of a contemporary art museum is to reflect the
discourse of its time through new artworks. In practice, however, this requires
considerable deliberation. It is often more stable, in many respects, to
introduce works by artists already validated within institutional systems. In
order to remain faithful to the essential role of a museum, Yangpyeong Art
Museum planned this emerging artists’ exhibition.
As part of its emerging
artist support program, the museum revised its existing Container Art Lab
initiative, transferring its external exhibition function into the museum
itself. The first-floor space was expanded and remodeled as a dedicated area
for emerging artists, and full-time curators provide artist research and
artwork analysis, establishing practical support systems to benefit young
practitioners.
This
year, Yangpyeong Art Museum held its first open call for emerging artists on a
trial basis, recording a competition rate of over 30 to 1. Despite the absence
of major financial benefits, many young artists applied, recognizing the
sincerity of the museum’s initiative. At the same time, the opportunity to be
endorsed by a public museum and to present their work at a venue with
relatively high visitor numbers likely contributed to the high application
rate. Accordingly, this exhibition offers an opportunity to introduce emerging
artists not only to galleries and collectors, but also to various art
institutions. It is hoped that this will provide a stepping stone for these
artists to grow further in their careers.
Among
the seven selected artists this year, the exhibition opens with works by Gouri
Ko, Yujin Mo, and Hyunmo Yang. Gouri Ko speaks of the relationship between
herself and the external world by leaving traces of her emotions through
landscape imagery. Yujin Mo reconstructs natural phenomena, time, memory, and
spatial dimensions within the pictorial surface, emphasizing our existence
within the vast flow of time.
Hyunmo Yang, meanwhile, expresses his perception
of external phenomena and discourses through formal elements such as point,
line, plane, color, volume, and form, continuing his exploration of life
attitudes and self-existence. Although their styles differ, they share a common
concern with the theme of “Being-Sense.” Each, however, articulates this theme
in distinct ways.
This
emerging artists’ exhibition will help audiences understand how today’s younger
generation reads and views the world. It will also provide insight into how
they perceive and interpret the world, existence, and the relationships between
them. The project is intended to continue in the future, offering opportunities
to explore directions through various discourses. As preparations for the next
exhibition proceed, it is hoped that the spirit of “New Indépendant” will
continue to develop at Yangpyeong Art Museum through artists of outstanding
ability and limitless potential.
