Swiss-born Artist's Colorful Sculptures and Installations Delve into Transformation and Life's Cyclical Nature

Courtesy of MUSEUM SAN

▲ Installation view of ″BURN TO SHINE″ on view at Museum SAN, Shown are the “nuns+monks″ sculptures / Courtesy of MUSEUM SAN

Ugo Rondinone, a 59-year-old Swiss-born artist, presents his latest and largest solo exhibition in Korea at Museum SAN, featuring colorful sculptures and installations that provoke contemplation on philosophical topics such as the circle of life.

The exhibition's title, "BURN TO SHINE," is derived from a line in the poem "You Got to Burn to Shine" by Rondinone's late husband, John Giorno, suggesting themes of transformation and resilience. Rondinone explains that the exhibition also draws inspiration from Buddhist teachings on the coexistence of life and death, symbolized by motifs of the sun and moon.
 

▲ ″burn to shine″ (2022) by Ugo Rondinone / Courtesy of MUSEUM SAN

A 14-minute film, also titled "BURN TO SHINE," accompanies the exhibition, depicting a performance featuring 30 percussionists and dancers engaging in an African ritual combined with contemporary dance, set from sunset to sunrise.

Rondinone's series "your age and my age and the age of the sun" (2013-) and "your age and my age and the age of the moon" (2020-) incorporates 2,000 drawings of suns and moons by children aged 3 to 12 from Wonju, highlighting themes of youth and the passage of time. 

▲ ″your age and my age and the age of the sun″ (2013-) by Ugo Rondinone / Courtesy of MUSEUM SAN

The artist emphasizes the importance of museums being welcoming to children, stating that they are the future.

Among Rondinone's sculptures on display are the "nuns+monks" series, featuring boldly colored monolithic stones topped with smaller stones resembling heads and bodies. While they appear to be made entirely of stone, they are actually crafted from limestone models cast in bronze, symbolizing the fragility of life.

▲ ″your age and my age and the age of the moon″ (2020-) by Ugo Rondinone / Courtesy of MUSEUM SANRondinone expresses his focus on the meditation of nature and highlighting its beauty, despite the prevalent issue of pollution.

"BURN TO SHINE" will run until Sept. 18 at Museum SAN, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Mondays.

Sayart 

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com