Baloise Art Prize 2018: Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean (Mudam), Luxembourg
Mudam Luxembourg – Musée d’Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean presents new works by Suki Seokyeong Kang (b. 1977, Seoul), the winner of the 2018 Baloise Art Prize. These two sculptures form part of a presentation conceived by the artist for the museum’s Sculpture Garden.
The art of Suki Seokyeong Kang encompasses painting, sculpture, installation, video and choreography. An interest in the human body, its gesture and movement informs the composition of Kang’s sculpture and the evolution of her installations over time. Whilst each work is independent, their placement within a given space is meticulously considered in order to produce an overall harmony that is activated and set in motion by the occasional activation with people. Employing a formal, graphic vocabulary of lines, surface planes, colours and textures, Kang connects diverse traditions, from arts and crafts, to music and choreography. Techniques such as Hwamunseok rush mat weaving or Jeongganbo – a system of musical notation organised in the form of a grid – refer to ancient traditions within Korean culture.
This presentation, devised by the artist for Mudam’s Sculpture Garden, is centred around two new works. Grandmother Tower – tow #18-01 constitutes an abstract portrait of the artist’s grandmother, describing her curved stature and hesitant gait whilst Rove and Round – face, mate, belly, #18-01 refers to the artist’s own body. Presented together with a selection of other recent works, they draw upon the artist’s personal history to reflect upon profound changes within South Korean society.
Suki Seokyeong Kang was awarded the Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel in 2018. Established 20 years ago, the prize is awarded each year to two young artists exhibiting in the Statements section of the Art Basel art fair. Kang is the fourth artist to enter Mudam’s collection with the support of the Baloise Group since the museum became a partner of the Prize in 2015.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Suki Seokyeong Kang (b. 1977, Seoul) studied Oriental Painting at Ewha Womans University, Seoul, and Painting at the Royal College of Art, London. She is currently a professor of Korean Painting at Ewha Womans University. Kang has held solo exhibitions at the ICA Philadelphia (2018), Audio Visual Pavilion, Seoul (2015), and Old House, Seoul (2013). Her work has been presented within group surveys including the MAK Center for Art and Architecture, Los Angeles (2018), National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon (2016) and Villa Vassilieff, Paris (2016). Kang’s work has also been presented within the 58th Venice Biennale in 2019 and the Gwangju Biennale in 2016. Kang’s work is held in several collections including the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, Seoul and Seoul Museum of Art, Korea, as well as National Art Bank, Seoul. She was awarded with the Art Basel Prize in 2018, the 13th Songeun Art Award in 2013, and the Bloomberg New Contemporaries in 2012. She lives and works in Seoul.
The Baloise Art Prize is awarded annually at Art Basel to two artists exhibiting within the Statements section of the fair. For the last two decades, the prize has focused its support on young artists reserving a part of the award to acquire and donate one or an ensemble of works by the artists to two of the partner museums. Mudam Luxembourg, has been one of the museum partners for the Baloise Art Prize since 2015 and Marie-Noëlle Farcy, Curator for the Mudam Collection is a member of the jury. Works by Beatrice Gibson, Mary Reid Kelley, Martha Atienza and Suki Seokyeong Kang were acquired for the Mudam Collection with this support.
