Left: Poster image of Oh Min's Solo Exhibition. Right: Poster image of Osang Gwon and Choi Hanyel's exhibtion. © Ilmin Museum of Art.

The Ilmin Museum of Art will present two contemporary sculptors—Osang Gwon and Choi Haneyl—from August 23 to October 2, 2022. 

Gwon (b. 1974) and Choi (b. 1991) both attempt to deconstruct the concept of sculpture and interpret the genre in a new way. In this exhibition, the two artists exchange sculptural methodologies by critically studying each other’s sculptures and applying the methods learned to their own work.

Gwon expands the scope of contemporary sculpture by fusing two different media: photography and sculpture. He has worked on creating sculptures by attaching photos to a light support or creating works that subvert traditional sculptural language to interpret its concept differently. On the other hand, Choi reimagines the future of sculpture by deconstructing its existing perceptions and concepts and presenting sculptures with multiple identities. With the idea that anything that can support itself can be a sculptural piece, Choi uses the form of the medium as a concept. 

Recognized for his unique combination of photography and sculpture, Gwon has held a number of solo exhibitions in art institutions, such as the Manchester Art Gallery in the UK (2008). On the other hand, Choi is an emerging artist who recently participated in the Seoul Museum of Art’s group exhibition Sculptural Impulse, which showcased sculptures by young up-and-coming artists.

The Ilmin Museum of Art will also open Oh Min’s (b. 1975) solo exhibition If I can’t sing, I don’t want to be in your revolution (working title) as a separate project during the same period. Oh, a music major, works with time-based installations, such as sound, video, and performance. Time in Oh’s works flows and expands non-linearly, and the artist explores the different types of time-based media and their relationships. The exhibition’s title is a modification of the words “If I can’t dance, I don’t want to be in your revolution,” said by Emma Goldman (1869–1940). Emma was a feminist heroine and anarchist activist in the early 20th century. The exhibition shows the non-linear structure and non-hierarchical nature of time handled by Oh.

Oh Min was one of the participating artists in the “Korea Artist Prize 2022” exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.