▲ The installation view of the exhibition ⓒ Museum Hanmi

The Museum Hanmi Samcheong is hosting a special exhibition titled 'Endless Journey to Black Night.' This exhibition will run from May 22, 2024, to August 25, 2024. Under the theme of 'Night and the Unconscious,' the exhibition features key collections from Museum Hanmi.

More than 100 works by 32 artists from Korea and abroad will be showcased. The exhibition sheds light on the deep, subconscious landscapes sealed beyond darkness and consciousness. It includes Museum Hanmi's collections and pieces on loan from individuals and institutions, spanning from early 1900s classical works to contemporary pieces by both domestic and international artists.

▲ Series of 'Day Break', 018, Inkjet print, 150x190cm, 2011 ⓒ Kim Taedong 김태동, Museum Hanmi

Participating artists include Koo Bohnchang, Kwon Doyeon, Kim Jae Soo, and many other prominent figures. The exhibition features works from American realism, modernist photography, European avant-garde movements, and post-war Korean experimental photography.

'Nocturama' serves as the entry point to the exhibition, encouraging viewers to heighten their senses as they engage with the artworks. Ansel Adams' 'Moonrise, Hernandez, New Mexico' will captivate audiences with its grand landscape and intricate details. Alongside, Kwon Doyeon's roaming wild dogs and Daido Moriyama's night insects reveal themselves in the dark. 

▲ Series of 'Pendulum', Gelatin silver print, 18x22cm, 1960 ⓒ Kim Jaesoo, Kim Seokchan, Museum Hanmi

In the 'Silhouettes in the Dark' section, photograms from the 1920s to early 1960s are featured. This intuitive technique involves placing objects between photographic paper and a light source in a darkroom. Notable works include Man Ray's rayographs and geometric abstractions by Hyun Il-young and Jaroslav Rössler.

'Details of the Unconscious' delves into the deep, often inexpressible human desires and anxieties through a century of classical works. It showcases various interpretations of the human body and related objects, depicting eroticism and tension. Brassaï's 'Transmutation' series and Jerry N. Uelsmann's photomontages are prominent in this section.

▲ Odalisque, Gelatin silver print, 39x29.2cm, 1935 ⓒ Brassaï, Museum Hanmi

'Dream Work: Compression and Displacement' explores how repressed desires emerge vividly in dreams, serving as a substitute for unmet realities. The section illustrates the surreal and often distorted nature of dream imagery, emphasizing the tension and balance created by these unconscious desires.

'Night Swallowed by Darkness' presents photographs that echo Freud's concept of the death drive. This section is filled with images conveying eerie tension, emptiness, and foreboding. Works such as Kim Tae Dong's 'Day Break' series and Mario Giacomelli's 'December 31st' offer a haunting exploration of human existence.

▲ The poster of the exhibition ⓒ Museum HanmiDuring the exhibition, there will be artist talks, lectures, and participatory programs. In the opening week, artists Mo Shah and Zana Briski will discuss their work and artistic processes. Various related programs will continue throughout the exhibition period.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com