The Ilmin Museum of Art presents "Hyper Yellow," a solo exhibition by Minouk Lim, on view from February 28 to April 20, 2025. This exhibition marks Lim’s first major museum solo show in Korea in a decade, showcasing 28 new works that explore the fluid boundaries between history, memory, and contemporary reality.

"Hyper Yellow" originates from Lim’s extensive research and performances in Korea and Japan, delving into the interplay between tradition, ritual, and modernity. Through her multidisciplinary practice—ranging from video, installation, and sculpture—Lim reimagines the role of art in negotiating fractured realities and examines the transformative power of ritualistic experiences.

A centerpiece of the exhibition is "East Sea Story", a three-channel video installation that encapsulates Lim’s thematic investigation. The work juxtaposes footage from two traditional Japanese festivals—the Tōdaiji Omizutori (Fire Festival) and the Fukagawa Matsuri (Water Festival)—with urban landscapes along Tokyo’s Sumida River and the imagined journey of an eleven-faced Kannon Bodhisattva as a traveler. Through these visuals, Lim explores rituals as acts of transformation, where fire and water serve as metaphors for shifting states of existence and time.

At the heart of Lim’s practice is what she calls the "reconfiguration of perception"—a process of disrupting conventional artistic classifications to reveal new modes of experience. Her works blur the boundaries between humans, nature, and technology, presenting poetic narratives that redefine contemporary aesthetics. By utilizing "media" as both a conceptual and physical tool, she constructs alternative chronologies, reanimating objects and creating new layers of synchronicity within the present moment.

The exhibition is organized by Ilmin Museum of Art, led by Director Kim Taeryung, with curatorial direction by Yoon Yuli. It is supported by Arts Council Korea and Hyundai Sungwoo Holdings, with contributions from various collaborators in technical and artistic production.

"Hyper Yellow" invites viewers to engage with the intersection of ritual and contemporary existence, encouraging a deeper reflection on how art can bridge personal, historical, and collective narratives. Through Lim’s evocative storytelling and reimagining of time, the exhibition offers a compelling exploration of the fluidity of reality and artistic transformation.

Sayart / Jason Yim, yimjongho1969@gmail.com