Connecting Bodies
Turbulence by Vivien Zhang
From London to Seoul, here are my favourite exhibitions to see this winter ✨
Earlier this month, fresh off the buzz of Frieze week, I packed my suitcase and travelled to the bustling city of Seoul. Between zip-lining adventures on Nami Island and trying bibimbap, I squeezed in some gallery hopping. Winter is arguably a great time for art, galleries put together new programmes, from big-name solo exhibitions to exciting group shows, providing the perfect excuse to leave the house and bundle up in a puffer. Join me as I share some of my favourite shows to see this winter.
to be forgotten (Heliconius) by Vivien Zhang
Flat Earth, Pilar Corrias Gallery
In her second solo exhibition with Pilar Corrias Gallery, rising artist Vivien Zhang presents a new series of abstract paintings that contemplate her personal experience of migration.
Taking inspiration from the natural world, “Flat Earth” features plants, butterfly motifs, and dizzying trompe l’oeil techniques. “I want my work to disrupt assumptions; either through specific visual cues that make you do a double-take on something or through formal contradictions within a work.” the artist shared in an interview with émergent magazine.
I’m particularly drawn to the colour and detail present in Zhang’s paintings. Her style continues to evolve, while still maintaining its core elements of playful patterns and energetic brushwork. This is a must-see for anyone planning their next gallery hop.
The show runs until November 9th.
Holding Up on Bended Knee by Cathleen Clarke
As She Is, Soho Revue
Curated by South Korean fashion designer Rejina Pyo, this exciting group exhibition brings together works by Antonia Showering, Cece Philips, Chantal Joffe, Caroline Walker, Nengi Omuku, Cathleen Clarke, and more.
What I love about “As She Is” is the juxtaposition of emerging and established artists. It's fascinating to see how their work, though different, often echoes similar themes and visual elements. I previously saw Caroline and Cece's works side-by-side in a group exhibition “The Painted Room” at GRIMM, in which artists explored the interior through a number of distinctive styles. This exhibition sparks a different conversation, showcasing women artists working across figuration, sculpture, and everything in between. Short and sweet, “As She Is” is only open for a limited time so catch it while you can!
The show runs until November 2nd.
Park by Minji Song
Park, sangheeut
You heard it here first, 27-year-old Minji Song is definitely one to watch next year. Her latest solo show, opening this week in Seoul, features a stunning new series of works that explore gravity, time, and the power of physical forces.
Song’s practice is fresh and filled with movement, as the artist pours paint onto vertical fabric, allowing gravity to take its course. The resulting works are expressive and layered, inviting the viewer to visualise the infinite ways in which oil paint drips down a canvas.
In this show, Song adopts a completely new approach, incorporating frames into her work. “In the past, I worked while observing the entire piece at once, but for “Park,” I expanded from parts to the whole,” the artist shared with incubating gallery sangheeut. For me, it’s always exciting to see an artist experiment with their practice, and “Park” offers a refreshing look at the physical act of painting.
The show runs until November 23rd.
Part 3. Bodies·God(desse)s·Cosmology at MMCA Seoul
Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists, MMCA Seoul
On my final day in Seoul, I took a bus to the historic Jongno District and visited the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA). Currently on view is a fantastic group exhibition, “Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists”, which brings together 130 works by women artists from 11 Asian countries, examining post‒1960s art from the perspective of corporeality.
The show is divided into six sections: “Choreograph Life,” “Flexible Territories of Sexuality,” “Bodies·God(desse)s·Cosmology,” “Street Performances,” “Repeating Gestures‒Bodies·Objects·Language,” and “Bodies as Becoming‒Connecting Bodies.” Each section explores how diverse bodies have reimagined and redefined identity, looking beyond antiquated ideas of the Asian woman as “other”.
Many of the artists featured in this exhibition have paved the way for the art that we know and love today, pushing the boundaries of disciplines including photography and film, and bravely questioning ideas of patriarchy, capitalism, and nationalism. As I made my way to the museum gift shop, I reflected on the art that I had seen. “Connecting Bodies” left me with a strong sense of hope, and a desire to uncover new artistic possibilities.
The show runs until March 3rd.