Hite Collection’s 2024 Young Artists Exhibition, I Am the Eye in the Sky Looking at You, runs from October 25 to December 21, offering a compelling exploration of the post-millennial generation’s worldview. Featuring eight emerging artists—Kang Minseo, Kim Gyuri, Kim Dongwoo, Bae Hansol, Song Jiyu, Jeon Jihong, Choi Heesu, and Hong Sujin—the exhibition delves into the unique experiences of those who have grown up in an era defined by-digital connectivity and limitless access to information.

The exhibition title references Eye in the Sky by Alan Parsons Project, symbolizing omnipresent observation and power. This theme resonates with the participating artists, who reflect on issues such as surveillance, authority, and societal constraints. Their works examine how this generation navigates the contradictions of feeling both empowered by technology and disempowered by systemic challenges.

Each artist’s practice is rooted in their relationship with the world. Kang Minseo draws from mythology to reinterpret timeless narratives, creating images of beings like mermaids and giants that suggest alternative life forms. Kim Gyuri, meanwhile, layers her work with temporal and spatial narratives, often transforming linear canvases into complex visual archives. Kim Dongwoo explores the porous boundaries between virtual and real spaces, questioning humanity’s role in these shifting domains.

Bae Hansol’s video installations critique the faith placed in technology, exposing the uncertainty and misinformation embedded within systems that claim objectivity. Song Jiyu captures ephemeral sensations, translating them into tangible forms through materials like wax and wood. Her works invite viewers to contemplate the impermanence and fluidity of experience.

Jeon Jihong combines personal memory with historical narrative, redefining spaces through intimate cartography. Her handcrafted paper works emphasize the relationship between materiality and storytelling. In a different vein, Choi Heesu explores attachment through paired objects, creating photographs and sculptures that investigate relational dynamics and mimicry.

Hong Sujin’s video works tackle the ethics of militarism and remote warfare, highlighting the psychological and physical distance inherent in modern conflicts. Her pieces challenge viewers to consider their complicity within global systems that commodify human life and natural resources.

A recurring motif in the exhibition is the “eye,” symbolizing observation and power. From literal depictions to metaphorical explorations, this theme unites the diverse practices on display. The artists collectively challenge traditional notions of vision, proposing alternative ways to perceive and engage with the world.

Through their works, the artists of I Am the Eye in the Sky Looking at You articulate a generation’s anxieties, desires, and critiques of the modern condition. By bridging personal narratives with global issues, the exhibition positions itself as a timely reflection on how art can navigate an increasingly interconnected yet fractured reality. Hite Collection invites audiences to step into this dynamic dialogue, offering new ways to see and interpret the world.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com