The Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) Art Archives has unveiled Fantasia of the Archives, a dynamic exhibition that bridges the realms of past, present, and future through artistic exploration. Running from August 29, 2024, to February 2, 2025, this event is part of SeMA Omnibus, a series focused on the museum’s annual theme of ‘connection.’ Held at the Art Archives MOEUM-DONG, the exhibition invites visitors to delve into the intricate interplay between archival materials and artistic creativity.

Inspired by Michel Foucault’s seminal essay “Fantasia of the Library,” the exhibition views archives not as static records but as living reservoirs of imagination. Just as Foucault described libraries as spaces of wonder, Fantasia of the Archives presents the Art Archives as a site of artistic and intellectual discovery. Through artists’ sketches, photographs, and preparatory notes, visitors are given a rare glimpse into the creative process, experiencing how the past informs the present and inspires the future.

The exhibition features six prominent artists—Kwak Namsin, Son Kwang Ju, Yoon Kalim, Lee Kyojun, Im Sunyi, and Chun Kook Kwang—whose works span diverse media including painting, video, sculpture, and photography. Each artist weaves their unique perspective into the fabric of the archive, offering interpretations that challenge conventional notions of time and reality.

Kwak Namsin’s Shadow series explores the liminal space between abstraction and figuration, blending Dansaekhwa aesthetics with emotive undertones. Son Kwang Ju pushes the boundaries of cinematic language, using video art to flatten temporal structures and create coexisting narratives of past, present, and future. Yoon Kalim’s embroidered works reimagine historical botanical illustrations, combining threads and imagination to blur the lines between reality and fantasy.

Lee Kyojun’s geometric abstractions interrogate spatial boundaries, using grids and minimal compositions to redefine the concept of flatness. Im Sunyi captures nature’s transient beauty through surreal landscapes, highlighting the interplay between perception and environment. Chun Kook Kwang’s sculptures emphasize the materiality of stone and bronze, evoking the rhythmic patterns of nature’s forms.

Central to the exhibition is its focus on the connection between art and its historical context. Rather than re-contextualizing the SeMA collection, Fantasia of the Archives seeks to deepen understanding by aligning each work with its original inspirations. This approach allows visitors to rediscover artistic narratives while expanding their meanings into new realms of interpretation.

The exhibition also invites reflection on the role of archives as evolving entities. Showcasing the artists’ creative journeys, it highlights how archival materials transcend their temporal origins to spark contemporary dialogue. The Art Archives thus becomes a space where imagination flourishes, echoing Foucault’s vision of the archive as a wellspring of inspiration.

Fantasia of the Archives serves not only as a celebration of SeMA’s rich collection but also as a testament to the enduring power of art to connect humanity across time. By engaging with the past to shape the future, the exhibition positions the Art Archives as a vital space for artistic innovation and intellectual inquiry.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com