The Beauty Found in "Poetry, Images, Scores, and Code"... Seoul National University Museum of Art's "Dimension Expander"

Seoul National University Museum of Art Presents "Dimension Expander" Exhibition
On View Through November 23
Featuring Works Mediated by Poetry, Images, Musical Scores, and Code

The commonality among poetry, images, musical scores, and code lies in their multidimensional elements. They transcend the physical limitations of lower dimensions to achieve expansiveness. Poetry is recorded, recited, and reveals the senses; musical scores are notated, performed, and produce resonance. Code is written and executed, transforming reality; images are created and come to life the moment they are viewed, evoking emotion. The special exhibition "Dimension Expander" at the Seoul National University Museum of Art captures the power of these codes, which traverse materiality and immateriality, from an artistic perspective.

Interior view of the Seoul National University Museum of Art's "Dimension Expander" exhibition. Provided by Seoul National University Museum of Art

This exhibition features approximately 60 works by nine artists: Lee Sang, Nam June Paik, Koo Jamyung, Kim Honam, Kim Eunhyung, Jung Sujeong, Yoon Hyangro, Ki Minjung, and Jeon Sojung. The exhibition includes: Lee Sang's experimental poetry; Nam June Paik's text-based musical scores; Koo Jamyung's installation inspired by computer operating systems and viruses; Kim Honam's installation that spatializes the delay and resonance of internet signals; Kim Eunhyung's painted mural that weaves philosophical concepts and myths like a string game; Jung Sujeong's fantastical paintings reminiscent of Bosch; Yoon Hyangro's "pseudo-paintings," synchronizing the conditions of art production and the creation and distribution of images today; Ki Minjung's paintings that expand pictorial space using paper and glass; and Jeon Sojung's video, inspired by Lee Sang's poetry, capturing the present moment.

Interior view of the Seoul National University Museum of Art's "Dimension Expander" exhibition. Provided by Seoul National University Museum of Art

Nam June Paik's "Symphony for 20 Rooms" (1961) originated from a single-page score written in Cologne, Germany. Paik described it as "a tonal medium that encompasses touching, playing, listening, kicking, and even whipping." In this exhibition, visitors can physically perform the score placed on a music stand. The original Japanese draft was lost, and it was subsequently written in German and English before being translated into Korean for this exhibition. The piece was never realized during Paik's lifetime, but a performance was held at Den Frie Centre of Contemporary Art in Copenhagen in 2019. It was introduced in Korea in 2022 through the Nam June Paik Art Center.

Interior view of the Seoul National University Museum of Art's "Dimension Expander" exhibition. Provided by Seoul National University Museum of Art

Kim Honam's "Echo Chamber System for Submarine Fiber Optic Cable" (2024) visually and aurally reveals the time lag inherent in global communications. Ten monitors installed in the exhibition space are connected to web servers in nine cities around the world. Signals transmitted from overseas via submarine fiber optic cables are displayed on monitors and speakers in the order they arrive. Projectors and fog machines installed in the gallery create an atmosphere reminiscent of the area surrounding an undersea cable conduit beneath the water's surface.

Interior view of the Seoul National University Museum of Art's "Dimension Expander" exhibition. Provided by Seoul National University Museum of Art

Kim Eunhyung's drawings on paper forms are closer to sculpture than painting. When viewing the images on the crumpled paper, one might wonder, "Was the paper crumpled before or after the drawing?" The answer is that the crumpling comes first, followed by the drawing, which is applied as if engraving patterns onto the form. Before starting a new work, Kim Eunhyung creates a narrative framework; this piece began with a love story between "Gidam" and "Iro," characters from a tale blending Christian, Buddhist, and Islamic cultures. By combining Zhuangzi's "Qiwulun," which asserts that all beings are fundamentally the same and without discrimination, with Donna Haraway's "Terrapolis," which emphasizes a global community, the artist expresses relational ontology through layered and shifting drawings.

Interior view of the Seoul National University Museum of Art's "Dimension Expander" exhibition. Provided by Seoul National University Museum of Art

Yoon Hyangro's "Screenshot" series evokes the feel of digital handicraft. The works are completed by scanning and mixing images collected from the internet and daily life, then applying air spray and overpainting. For example, after scanning every page of a comic book, the artist erases the characters, leaving only the reaction lines (visual cues emphasizing emotion or response) and then blends them together. For the artist, the entire process of collecting, working with, and arranging images is included within the realm of art.

Other highlights include: a work visualizing Lee Sang's poetry by reflecting its visual arrangement and geometric features; Koo Jamyung's sculptures that translate programs named after elements of nature; Jung Sujeong's paintings expressing the persistence of life through ceaseless movement and change; Ki Minjung's works that fill space with color using paper and glass; and Jeon Sojung's video piece, inspired by Lee Sang's poetry, connecting the atmosphere of the Gyeongseong Department Store in the 1930s with the present day.

Oh Jini, the curator of the exhibition, stated, "I hope everyone can discover their own stories within the artworks," adding, "We have prepared this as a friendly exhibition that is easily accessible to all age groups." The exhibition runs through November 23.