“Dream File” Installation view at FOUNDRY SEOUL ©FOUNDRY SEOULFrom July 21 to September 16, FOUNDRY SEOUL will present Dream File, the first solo exhibition of Martin Gross (b. 1984) in Korea.
Martin Gross works on online reality. He focuses on online phenomena and the information that flows online and soon builds our reality. He combines images, memes, texts, and advertisements into video work that is edited through cut-up and montage techniques. In the large-scale animation < Oh Sega Sunset > (2023), the artist’s handwritten phrases and lighthearted jokes are displayed in orange text on a black background, like advertising copy. He also creates paintings that mix pop images with text and other visual symbols, and this exhibition features 12 new paintings. Painting such as < Night Forest > (2023), < Grey Skies Turquoise Days > (2023), < Distant Lover > (2023) are reminiscent of our online screens, which are overloaded with information and patterns.
The title of the exhibition, ‘Dream File’, is a word used by sociologist and philosopher Ted Nelson to describe his concept of ‘hypertext’. Taking a cue from this, the exhibition suggests that Martin Gross’s work is akin to hypertext in that it allows the viewer to think non-linearly according to their own experiences and perspectives. So, through this exhibition, we can meta-examine our sensory systems to perceive today’s digital environment.
