'Korean Experimental Art in the 1960s-70s'
Opens on the 26th at National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul
Exhibition continues at the Guggenheim Museum, USA on September 1
A large-scale exhibition surveying Korean experimental art works from the 1960s to 1970s will be held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) Seoul from the 26th.
Kim Ku-rim 'The Meaning of 1/24 Second'. [Photo provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art]
The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Acting Director Park Jongdal) will hold the exhibition "Korean Experimental Art 1960-70s," focusing on avant-garde experimental art led by young artists during the era of national reconstruction through modernization and industrialization, from the 26th until July 16 at MMCA Seoul.
This exhibition highlights artists who, rebelling against the formalism of the conservative older generation, worked with various media both as groups and individuals, illuminating the history of Korean experimental art.
The exhibition begins by introducing the aspects of avant-garde experimental art that started in the late 1960s.
It showcases the activities of emerging artist groups such as "Origin" and "Mudongin" in the late 1960s, as well as the 1967 "Young Artists Joint Exhibition" they organized together, displaying works by young artists who advocated anti-art and media detachment at the time. Visitors can see works by Seo Seungwon, Jeong Gangja, Kang Gukjin, Lee Taehyun, and others in one place.
Next, it presents experimental attempts by artists from various fields amid urbanization. Along with Kim Goorim's experimental film "The Meaning of 1/24 Second" (1969), materials related to the happenings staged by the "Fourth Group," which experimented across art, film, fashion, theater, dance, religion, and literature in August 1970 in the city center, are introduced.
The "Under the Flag of the Avant-garde - AG" section examines the activities of young artists from the Korean Avant-garde Association (AG) in the early 1970s, featuring works by Ha Jonghyun and Song Beonsu. The "Upside-down Tradition" section, which explores the relationship between Korean avant-garde art and tradition, introduces works by Lee Seungtaek from the Abu Dhabi Guggenheim Museum collection.
Kang Guk-jin, Jeong Gang-ja, Jeong Chan-seung, ‘Murder by the Han River’, 1968, Performance record held on October 17, 1968, under the 2nd Hangang Bridge (currently Yanghwa Bridge) by the riverside. [Photo by Hwang Yang-ja]
The exhibition also presents the activities of the avant-garde art group "ST" (Space & Time) from 1971 to 1981 through works by Lee Geonyong and Seong Neungkyung, while revealing various overseas biennale participations by young artists of the time. Works by Shim Moonseop, Park Hyunki, and Lee Kangso were exhibited.
Additionally, during the exhibition period, representative performances in the history of experimental art such as Kim Goorim's "From Generation to Extinction," Seong Neungkyung's "Reading the Newspaper," and Lee Geonyong's "Snail's Pace" will be reenacted.
This exhibition is co-organized by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, USA.
After being held at MMCA Seoul, the exhibition will continue at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in September. From February 11 next year, it will also be shown at the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, USA.
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