Installation view of “Paranoia Paradise” ©Atelier Hermès
Atelier Hermès presents a solo exhibition
“Paranoia Paradise” by the artist duo Nayoungim &
Gregory Maass, through February 2, 2025.
Since
beginning their collaboration in 2004, the artists have spent the past two
decades expanding perceptions of artistic diversity and freedom through
exhibitions both in Korea and abroad. In this exhibition, they introduce their
extraordinary artistic universe with 60 new works.
Installation view of “Paranoia Paradise” ©Atelier Hermès
Born in
Korea and Germany, the duo met in a third country, France, where they have
continued their shared life and creative practice. Grounded in hybrid languages
and cultural experiences, their work dismantles notions of artistic purity,
hierarchy, and norms.
To them,
the countless objects and images that exist in the world are fascinating
entities once rooted in specific cultural archetypes of a particular time and
place. Freed from their original purpose and context, these items enter a new
realm of artistic existence under the artists’ hands.
What may
appear as a collection of disparate objects reflects the legacy of Dadaism and
Fluxus, movements that sought to erase the boundaries between art and life
through “readymades.” However, in the case of Nayoungim & Gregory Maass,
their works also bear the touch of meticulous artistic adjustment, revealing
elements of "handmade" sculpture.
Installation view of “Paranoia Paradise” ©Atelier Hermès
The objects and images they explore span an
almost limitless range—from art history references to products of kitsch and
pop culture, as well as everyday items related to food, clothing, and shelter,
and leisure objects used by people of all ages. Each piece exists without
hierarchy, coexisting like the parts and by-products of a metabolizing body.
The exhibition includes transformed
interpretations of works by Picasso and Henry Moore, embroidered depictions of
Minnie Mouse, English calligraphy screens, and even booger drawings. While
their works share a sense of satire and humor, they resist being confined to a
single meaning. Rather than pursuing unconscious or surreal realms through the
"chance encounters" of objects, their art evokes a sharp awareness of
reality, offering a refreshingly grounded experience.
Ji Yeon Lee has been working as an editor for the media art and culture channel AliceOn since 2021 and worked as an exhibition coordinator at samuso (now Space for Contemporary Art) from 2021 to 2023.
