Supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Opening Ceremony
22 September, 4pm
Gallery 6, MMCA Seoul
Co-Hosts: MMCA Korea, Australia Embassy Seoul
The inspiration for this exhibition was William Gibson’s 1984 novel Neuromancer. A seminal science fiction work on cyberpunk culture, this novel provides a multi-dimensional depiction of cyberspace through the combination of diverse and lively images. The title of the exhibition, New Romance, arises from a mistranslation of the novel’s title. The use of the word “romance” also alludes to the restoration of romanticism in the fields of machine aesthetics and new media.
New Romance is an exhibition through which Korean and Australian artists examine the significance of non-human entities that have emerged through processes of technological and artistic development, and the nature of the relationships such entities have with human beings. Although Korea and Australia are located in different hemispheres and use different languages, the two countries have much in common in terms of modern history, including colonial rule and liberation, democratization, and intense domestic turmoil. Now, through this exhibition, these seemingly very different worlds engage in dialogue.
Today, humankind faces the problem of having to coexist with new types of beings and man-made life forms. These strange beings are machines that resemble humans or robots that move and even think like human beings. They also come in the form of virtual beings composed of data that exist inside a network or Frankenstein-like creatures made through the use of bioengineering technology that seem to have leaped out of our imaginations. The emergence of post-human entities can present us with confusion but also the opportunity to critique and reflect on the ethical and environmental issues that are arising from the joining of science and art in the twenty-first century.
In ways that are at times humorous and at other times serious, the artists whose works are featured in this exhibition ask questions and present introspections that deal with ethical problems as well as the anxiety brought about by our relationships with such beings and the closeness with which we coexist with them. As a result, this exhibition narrows the gap between humans and non-human entities. By viewing the strange figures in the exhibition space, visitors will be encouraged to think about how human beings have come to be.
New Romance Arists' Performances & Talks
New Romance Arists' Performances & Talks
9.22(Tue) |
9.23(Wed) |
9.24(Thu) |
9.25(Fri) |
9.26(Sat) |
4~6pm.
Opening Ceremony |
Stelarc's
Live Performance
1~5pm
@Gallery 6 |
Korean & Australian
Artists Talk
3~5pm
@Multi-project Hall |
Stelarc's
Artist talk
2~3pm
@Education Center |
Justin Shoulder
Theatre Performance
The River Eats
2~3pm
Artist talk
3:15~4:15pm
@Multi-project Hall |
Justin Shoulder's
Theatre Performance
The River Eats
6~7pm
@Multi-project Hall |
Justin Shoulder's
Theatre Performance
The River Eats
4~5pm
@Multi-project Hall |
Justin Shoulder's
Theatre Performance
The River Eats
6~7pm
@Multi-project Hall |
Hayden Fowler 's ongoing Performance @ Gallery Madang(22~28 Sept.) |
※ Siyon Jin's Performance, New Form: To be held in October 2015 |
Guided Tours
Period : Tue~Sun 15:00
Venue : Gallery 6
Program : Exhibition highlights and Interpretation
※ Schedule may change depending on the situation.
