What You Need to Know: Held at Hwigyumjae, Seoul, and presented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism in partnership with the Korea Arts Management Service, the fifth edition of the Special Exhibition of Outstanding Artists is slated to debut August 16, 2024, entitled “DIALOGUE: I Am Because We Are.” On view through September 6, and curated by Hzone Founder and Director Daehyung Lee, the show includes the work of seven contemporary Korean artists—ByungHo Lee, Hyangro Yoon, Seulki Ki, Ram Han, Gyomyung Shin, Jeisung Oh, and Seok Hyun Han—and centers on the conceptual idea of “the other.” Exploring the boundaries of otherness as it is presently understood and expanding considerations to include everything from humans and animals to plants and abstract beings, the exhibition confronts anthropocentric norms, and offers new perspectives on the infinitely complex ecosystems we move through. Adding to the breadth and scope of the show’s themes, interviews between seven influential contemporary curators and the featured artists will be included in the accompanying publication.

Why We Like It: The Anthropocene and the themes and ideas generated around it both as a lived reality and pervasive concept is very much at the forefront of the contemporary mind, informing the zeitgeist of the present moment. Bringing together seven unique artists and their work to not only address anthropocentric perspectives, but address and present alternatives results in a group exhibition that is at once playful and experimental but also extraordinarily poignant. Some artists employ the cutting edge of technology, alluding to possible futures, such as Gyomyung Shin’s piece Lee Il-O (b.2021) (2022), which features A.I. and motors. Elsewhere, works like Bye Bye Meat (2022) use bright and alluring compositional techniques in order to highlight near realities. Jeisung Oh’s work INDEX#3_Cabinet of Curiosity (2020) taps the historical concept of curiosity cabinets to create a sense of loss—both present and future. Through Daehyung Lee’s curation, “DIALOGUE: I Am Because We Are” is exemplary of how abstract, creative approaches within art can comment and affect greater social, cultural, and political imperatives.

According to the Hzone: “The exhibition, titled I Am Because We Are, borrows from the African Ubuntu philosophy, highlighting interconnectedness, community, and harmony. It underscores a critical juncture for humanity: the choice between constructing exclusive barriers or forging inclusive cultural bridges. As we confront rapid transformations—climate crisis, the rise of A.I., resurgent nationalism, and a new Cold War centered on supply chains—the exhibition invites us to navigate these challenges to shape a collective future.”

See featured works below.

“DIALOGUE: I Am Because We Are” is on view at Hwigyumjae, Seoul, August 16–September 6, 2024.