Song
Burnsoo_Pantomime of
50 Years,
the first exhibition at MMCA in 2017, illuminates a half-century of artwork by
Song Burnsoo (宋繁樹, 1943-); he is the fourth artist in the crafts section of MMCA's
Korean Contemporary Artists Series.
Since making his debut in
the 1960's with his printmaking, Song Burnsoo has demonstrated his artistic
ability by embracing a wide range of genres, including printmaking, tapestry,
paper relief, and environmental sculptures. His photo-emulsion silkscreen
prints—which convey messages about the political and social problems of the
1970's - occupy an important position in the modern Korean history of
printmaking. The experimental and challenging artistic spirit seen in his print
works shows his early potential and lays the groundwork for his large tapestry
works, which (with their images of thorns) have improved the international
reputation of Korean contemporary textile arts.
This exhibition's subtitle,
"Pantomime of 50 Years," reflects the silent, dramatic messages that
his art has conveyed for half a century. The main character in this pantomime
is not played by the artist himself, but by his symbol: the image of a thorn.
At the end of the exhibition, the viewer is summoned on to the pantomime stage
by Unfinished Diadem (2002-2003),
which demonstrates the intersection of Korean textile and religious art.
Through this exhibition, in
which warnings, monologues, and confessional messages are delivered by the
artist, viewers will participate in a silent, half-century long conversation
with an artist who has lived in a cataclysmic era.
