Beak Jungki , Moogeon-ri Mossy Vallery , 2023 © Daegu Art Museum

The Daegu Art Museum presents the 2024 Daegu Forum III, 《Whose Forest, Whose World》. Established in 2021 to commemorate the museum’s 10th anniversary and to set the foundation for the next decade, the "Daegu Forum" is a thematic exhibition series dedicated to in-depth exploration of contemporary issues. This year’s exhibition critically reflects on anthropocentric narratives through the works of both Korean and international artists who address environmental and ecological crises, while prompting viewers to cultivate a new ecological sensitivity.

The global climate and ecological crisis, which has emerged as one of the most pressing and contentious issues of our time, is deeply intertwined with the discourse of the Anthropocene. In 2000, Dutch atmospheric chemist Paul J. Crutzen and biologist Eugene F. Stoermer introduced the term "Anthropocene" to describe a new epoch in which human activity has fundamentally altered Earth's climate and ecosystems. However, the concept of the Anthropocene has also been contested by scholars who argue that it places collective responsibility on all of humanity while overlooking structural inequalities. Alternative theoretical frameworks such as "Capitalocene," "Plantationocene," and "Chthulucene," along with post-humanist and new materialist perspectives, have since emerged, prompting deeper discussions on humanity's role in environmental degradation.

This intellectual shift, compounded by the global pandemic, has heightened societal awareness of environmental issues, popularizing the "eco" discourse. However, even within this movement, environmental consciousness continues to be commodified within neoliberal capitalist systems. 《Whose Forest, Whose World》 critically examines these issues, creating a space for reflection on the entities, landscapes, and temporalities that have been marginalized or objectified in the pursuit of human-centered narratives. Through a close examination of contemporary nature, non-human entities, and the evolving landscapes shaped by urban and civilizational development, the exhibition raises fundamental questions: Whose forest are we inhabiting? Whose world are we living in?

The exhibition is structured around three thematic sections: "Spring Has Come, Yet No Flowers Bloom, No Birds Sing...," "Forgotten Faces, Sutured Worlds," and "Belonging to the World, Coexisting with the World." It features works by 13 artists, including Kang Hong-gu, Kwon Hye-won, Kim Ok-sun, Kim Yoo-jung, Baek Jungki, Song Sanghee, Lee Saetbyul, Jang Hanna, Jung Juyoung, Jeong Hye-jeong, Lee Hae-min-seon, Annika Yi, and Tomás Saraceno.

Through this exhibition, the Daegu Art Museum seeks to create a space for contemplation on humanity’s relationship with nature in the post-Anthropocene era. By engaging with artistic practices that explore the ecological interconnectedness of humans and non-human entities, the exhibition invites viewers to reconsider notions of coexistence and to develop a deeper ecological consciousness. Ultimately, the exhibition aspires to provide a meaningful experience in which audiences can reflect on the future of nature, non-human existence, and the planet itself.

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