[Exhibition Overview]
Cracks in the Concrete II from the MMCA Collection, an exhibition sequel to Cracks in the Concrete from the MMCA Collection held in 2017 (April 18–29, 2017). If the previous exhibition defined "cracks in the concrete" as an objective of the artists who covertly or overtly challenged the concrete stature of authority and coercion of order, this exhibition examines specific forms of "cracks" evident in various contexts of Korean art history through two themes: "reality" and "ideal." The "reality" portion of the exhibition, "A Glimpse into the World: Community and Individual" (Gallery 3 and parts of the hallway), examines the disparity between communal values and individual realities, while the "ideal" portion of the exhibition, "Gazing into Eternity: Transcendence and Existence" (Gallery 4 and parts of the hallway), delves into the meaning of life hidden underneath mundane abjections and observes the artistic pursuit of ideal values-permanence and eternity.
Gallery 3 - A Glimpse into the World: Community and Individual
Today, the idea of a community is very different from that of the modern times. Past the age when individuals were willing to make sacrifices for national independence and prosperity, today's society puts more and more value on individuality. With the spread of liberal democracy, individual choices became important, and with constant migration of populations brought about by globalization, "community" has become a concept that needs to be redefined.
"A Glimpse into the World" examines the disparity between communal values and individual realities. Through the works of artists who strove to break the existing system and ideology, this exhibition looks into life's various "cracks" underneath social order and convention. By reflecting on the values and definitions of individuality and community, works in this exhibition validate individual differences and inspect today's concept of "community."
Gallery 4 - Gazing into Eternity: Transcendence and Existence
"The gaze into eternity" can only be legitimately meaningful in respect to "the glimpse into the world" as "life and afterlife," "reality and utopia," "existence and transcendence" are relative concepts. Like two sides of a coin, these concepts are inseparable from each other yet also infinitely far from one another.
Art is a faithful record of an artist's obsession with "the eternity" (permanence). Artists, though their weak bodies made of skin and blood, are only evanescent in this world, hoping for the ideas embedded in their work to last forever.
Even in the era of scientific civilization when the origins of space and life are uncovered, fear of extinction and desire for eternity remain primitive instincts deeply rooted in the human body and mind. "Gazing into Eternity: Transcendence and Existence" explores the strife for eternity and transcendence evident in the works by artists who refused to settle inside the deceptive boundaries of "reality and existence."
[Gallery View]
