Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) presents The Subtle Triangle

22nd February 2015

Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) presents The Subtle Triangle as its first exhibition of 2015. This exhibition, co-organized by SeMA and the Korea Foundation, is presented in relation to the Asia Colloquium: The Subtle Triangle, which was held at SeMA in November 2014. Following academic discussions among directors and curators of private/public museums in East Asia as well as practitioners who work actively in the international art field, the exhibition focuses on the artists: Yangachi (Korea), Xu Zhen (China), and Koizumi Meiro (Japan). The Subtle Triangle attempts to escape Western-oriented analyses of Northeast Asia as well as nationalism, regionalism, and statism, focusing rather on the art world of the artists who are leading the upcoming generation. This exhibition will further examine the current state of Northeast Asia and thus propose change and development.

Yangachi, Xu Zhen, and Koizumi Meiro were all born in the 1970s. They not only lead the Asian art world, but also actively participate in international exhibitions and art events. Yangachi presents his new production Sea Salt Theatre for the current exhibition. Sea Salt Theatre is an experiment within his recent interest in researching geographical elements and temporalities that are based within Asia. Yangachi aspires to greet and re-appropriate new audiences through his work. Koizumi Meiro from Japan is presenting a series of works that explores moments of human emotion and control. For The Subtle Triangle, he reveals how the disappearance of historical facts are witnessed and reestablished, thus presenting a critical perspective of distinct historical circumstances of Japan. Xu Zhen from China founded the MadeIn Company in 2009, and has continuously presented works that question the limits and meaning of art. Xu has recently been invited to exhibit at diverse international museums as well as Art Basel Miami and the Biennale de Lyon. Xu and Koizumi both present their large-scale works for the first time in Korea.

The Subtle Triangle also provides a research lounge organized by meeting room on the third floor, which presents a history of cultural exchanges among Korea, China, and Japan since 1989. The lounge offers an opportunity to examine the sensitive and interesting sociopolitical history of the three countries alongside its art history. Additionally, an education program co-organized by the education department of SeMA and the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat will invite youth from Northeast Asia who live in Seoul to discuss and share ideas on the past, present, and future of the three countries based on the exhibition and historical records, and further share their opinions on the potential paths the countries should take. Instead of observing one another with a contemplative attitude, The Subtle Triangle strives to construct a new discourse on Northeast Asian contemporary art by materializing their topics and enthusiastically engaging one another through psychological expansion.

Organized by Seoul Museum of Art, Korea Foundation. Curated by Leeji Hong, curator of Seoul Museum of Art.

Seoul Museum of Art web site