Kelvin Kyungkun Park, ARMY: 600,000 Portraits, 2016 ©Kelvin Kyungkun Park

On the 13th, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, announced that Kelvin Kyungkun Park (38) has been selected as the winner of the 2nd ARTSPECTRUM Award.

Park studied Design and Media Arts at UCLA and later completed his MFA in Film and Video at CalArts in 2005. He gained recognition in both the contemporary art and film scenes with his works Cheonggyecheon Medley (2010) and A Dream of Iron (2014). Throughout his career, he has held solo exhibitions, participated in nine group exhibitions, and showcased his works at eight film festivals. His accolades include the NETPAC Award at the Berlin International Film Festival and the Best Documentary Award at the Asiatica Film Festival.

For this exhibition, he presented the video work Army: 600,000 Portraits (2016), which delves into Korea’s military culture—a subject that left a strong impression on the artist, who spent much of his childhood abroad. Through an observational perspective, Park explores the relationship between the collective and the individual, as well as the performative aspects of military rituals and the emphasis on the body within this structured system.

Leeum noted that, although the work does not explicitly take a stance on military culture or depict the ideological shifts within such collectives, it encourages viewers to reflect on the broader impact of military culture on Korean society. This piece is set to be re-edited into a feature-length film for future screenings.

The judging panel for the 2nd ARTSPECTRUM Award included Professor Kim Sung-won of Seoul National University of Science and Technology, Baek Ji-sook, Artistic Director of Mediacity Seoul 2016, and Lee Joon, Deputy Director of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art. They selected Park from among the 10 participating artists of "ARTSPECTRUM 2016", citing his exceptional ideas and deep artistic commitment, as well as his potential to emerge as a leading Korean artist on the international stage.

The jury stated, "Army: 600,000 Portraits" stands out for its refined direction and innovative editing, demonstrating Park's experimental spirit and unique visual language. His forward-thinking and creative approach aligns perfectly with the objectives of the ARTSPECTRUM exhibition."

Upon receiving the award, Park remarked, "I still don’t quite understand why I continue pursuing this seemingly ‘useless’ thing called art, and I probably never will. But I feel incredibly lucky to receive such generous support for my time-wasting endeavors. At least now, I can finally explain to my parents what I do for a living."

Since 2001, Leeum has held the ARTSPECTRUM exhibition every two years to showcase the diversity of Korean contemporary art while discovering emerging Korean artists with the potential to succeed internationally. Starting in 2014, the museum has awarded the ARTSPECTRUM Award to one artist from among ten nominees, selected through recommendations by Leeum curators and external critics. The winner receives a monetary prize of 30 million KRW (approximately 25,000 USD).

The award ceremony will be held at Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, on the 16th.

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