Three Artists Born in the 1990s Create Cracks in Space

Space Isu Presents Special Exhibition for Emerging Artists
Featuring Daeyoung Ko, Seona Choi, and Aerin Hong

Space Isu, the cultural and artistic venue operated by Isu Group, is presenting a new perspective on contemporary art through its special exhibition, "VHS (Very High Signals)," which spotlights emerging artists. Rather than showcasing cultural heritage or completed images, this exhibition evokes subtle shifts in perception, breaking away from the conventional "viewing exhibition" format to experiment with the potential of art functioning within everyday spaces.

Daeyoung Ko, Papillon (2025). Courtesy of Space Isu

The exhibition runs until March 20, 2026, at Space Isu in Seoul and features three artists born in the 1990s: Daeyoung Ko, Seona Choi, and Aerin Hong. The exhibition is curated by external curator Hyokyung Jeon and marks the starting point of Space Isu’s new support program for emerging artists, which will be fully launched in 2026. Although all three artists have consistently produced work both domestically and internationally, they have rarely been introduced together in a group exhibition format.

The title "VHS" stands for "Very High Signals," referring to the faint high-frequency signals perceived within the exhibition space. The works subtly disrupt the inherent order and expectations of the lobby area, creating fissures in perception through sound, vibration, and material interventions. The company lobby serves as both an everyday space for employees and the most frequently encountered exhibition site, with the show gradually shifting over two months in ways that may or may not be consciously perceived.

This exhibition also questions the predominance of visual appreciation. The works do not present clear "spectacles" to view; instead, they prompt viewers to become aware of what they are not seeing. Through this state of "nowhere to gaze," the exhibition encourages visitors to choose the range of their own sensory engagement.

Participating artist Seona Choi presents sculptures and installations developed through a long, close engagement with materials. "Jinjiba" is a work in which Sculpey is spread over the building’s exterior glass, arranged like muscles connecting the structure, imparting viscosity and flexibility to the cold architectural framework. Sunlight is used as a material to modulate the density of the work; from a distance, it resembles proliferating mycelium, but up close, the traces of the artist’s hands are clearly visible. The wood-carved piece "Slid" delivers its message in a more restrained manner, creating a different tension within the space through contrasts in materiality.

Aerin Hong, 'Brat' (2026). Provided by Space Isu

Aerin Hong addresses the transfer of meaning through sound, devices, and ventriloquistic structures. "Music Siren" draws on a historical device that attempted to transform the memory-evoking sirens of past wars into melodies, converting the vibration of a small toy butterfly into amplified piano sounds. This sound evokes a sense of both familiarity and unease, creating moments that reveal how excessively amplified vitality can ultimately amount to nothing. Referencing the computer game "Princess Maker 2," her work "Brat" presents the image of an "empty room" where systems of nurture and control have collapsed, evoking viewers’ memories and cultural experiences.

Daeyoung Ko explores issues of memory and speed through video and technology. His video work "Papillon (le papillon)" is based on an epistolary relationship with people around him, with existing video images dramatically enlarged using artificial intelligence (AI) technology and then artificially corrected to produce an unfamiliar texture. This process reconstructs personal memories into fictional images and captures moments where intimacy and distance intersect. He also brings the "halo" safety device used in Formula 1 racing into the exhibition space, presenting only the form of a now functionless structure and prompting reflection on the relationship between speed, the body, and technology.

In conjunction with the exhibition, a performance centered on Daeyoung Ko’s silent film "Papillon" will be held on January 17, 2026. Minhui Lee and Taehyun Choi will participate in a live performance that adopts the traditional format of silent film screenings, with music performed in real time to match the flow of the video. After the performance, the on-site recorded sound will be played alongside the video throughout the exhibition period.

"VHS (Very High Signals)" is open to the public free of charge on weekdays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., excluding weekends and public holidays. Tickets for the performance are sold separately. For more information about the exhibition, please visit the official Space Isu website or Instagram account.