Theater art by Korea's Yeondoo Jung grabs attention in New York

(ATTN: photos available)
By Shin Hae-in
SEOUL, Nov. 23 (Yonhap) -- A recent New York performance by South Korean artist
Yeondoo Jung grabbed the attention of U.S. art critics, columnists and
collectors, many of whom viewed it one of the most noticeable performances of the
year, a Seoul gallery said Monday.
Hosted by Asia Society, Jung presented "Cinemagician," a combination of theater,
cinema and performance, from Nov. 19-20 in New York City, drawing a large
audience that included Museum of Modern Art curator Barbra London, Guggenheim
Museum curator Alexandra Munroe and art critic Linda Yablonsky.
Some widely-known art devotees including Jane Holzer, Shelley and David
Sonnenberg, and Nobel Literature Prize-winner Orhan Pamuk also watched Jung's
performance.
Inspired by 19th-century French filmmaker George Melies, "Cinemagician," is a
theater piece that "aims to recreate the tensions between the magician
(performer) and audience that arise from watching the unfolding of an unknown
event or trick," the artist explained in the press release by Kukje gallery.
"The magician's role in the film is not that of a magician. Actually, he is a
stand-in for myself, the artist who is creating a certain scenery that he wishes
to construct for the camera," he said.
U.S. art magazine GlobArtMag said, "The artist tackles the often overlooked
process behind creating a video work, (an) art form that increasingly pervades
modern practice."
"By allowing the audiences to witness first hand the making of Jung's video work,
he activates the space between the artist and the public. Jung recognizes the
importance of the creative process to the final product and thus implicates the
audience in actively participating in creating the work."
Born in 1969, Jung received an MFA from Goldsmiths College in 1997. He was the
recipient of the 2007 Artist of the Year Award, given annually by the National
Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, and has been introduced at numerous museums
and biennales worldwide, including the 51st Venice Biennale and the 2008
Liverpool Biennale.
The Asia Society, which hosted and co-sponsored Jung's recent performance, is a
pan-Asian organization that aims to promote understanding between Asia and the
United States. Its Asia Society Museum presents exhibitions and artworks
previously unseen in North America.
The New York-based institution was founded in 1956 by John D. Rockefeller the 3rd
and has about 30 participating countries.
hayney@yna.co.kr
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