By Park Han-sol
Multimedia artist Park Chan-kyong is set to hold his first solo exhibition at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Asian Art this fall to inaugurate the museum's new modern and contemporary galleries.
"Park Chan-kyong: Gathering," scheduled to run from Oct. 7 to Oct. 13, 2024, will be the artist's first solo presentation in a major U.S. institution.
Park has been known for using the photographic medium to provide nuanced insights into modern South Korea's turbulent political history and breakneck economic growth.
The upcoming exhibition will spotlight five of his recent works that weave together elements of art history, literature and folk traditions to shed light on different facets of South Korean society, including its storied relationship with the North.
His panoramic multi-channel video, "Citizen's Forest," which serves as the show's centerpiece, takes its cue from the poetry of Kim Su-yeong (1921-68), Minjung art ("people's art") and folk culture to address the historical trauma the country has experienced since the late 19th century...
