The WWNN presents a solo exhibition “What We Need Now - cliché version”
by Dongchun Yoon, until February 8.
Dongchun Yoon, who has consistently
reflected on the role of art and artists, has been questioning and declaring
the "everydayization of art" since the late 1980s, the inception of
his practice. Critiquing the art history shaped by ideologies and movements of
modernity, Yoon sought to recover the original concept of art, one that is
rediscovered only when we return to the most ordinary aspects of life.
However, the "everyday" Yoon
refers to transcends its conventional understanding. It is a multifaceted
concept encompassing institutional events, societal and political issues, and
even transformations in individual lives. His artistic strategy involves
rediscovering the latent power within the everyday and transforming art back
into something inherently ordinary.
The exhibition title, “What We Need
Now”—which also connects to the name of the exhibition space, WWNN—represents
24 messages the artist presents at the beginning of 2025, a complex era. The
"we" in this context signifies all humans and their actions in this
time.
The 24 works that traverse the exhibition
space correspond to each of the artist's proposals, guiding the viewers toward
a singular direction. These works evolve through a creative process that
transitions from language to image, ultimately materializing in various forms.
Dongchun Yoon speaks of a deep belief in the power of art when it becomes a part of everyday life. While offering advice akin to virtues necessary for this generation, he integrates these principles into his art, allowing viewers to experience them as if they were part of an ordinary language.
Ji Yeon Lee has been working as an editor for the media art and culture channel AliceOn since 2021 and worked as an exhibition coordinator at samuso (now Space for Contemporary Art) from 2021 to 2023.