Esther Schipper’s Seoul gallery presents Old Soul – New Soul, the debut South Korean solo exhibition of French-Guadeloupean artist Thomias Radin, running from November 8 to December 14, 2024. This exhibition showcases Radin’s multi-faceted approach through seven new paintings, two sculptures, and his premiere film RIVÂL, directed in collaboration with Alexander Brack and Matthias Meisen. With Old Soul – New Soul, Radin brings to the fore his philosophy on the interconnectedness of memory, movement, and spirituality, and explores intergenerational wisdom through multiple media.

Radin’s unique approach is influenced by his background in dance and his bicultural upbringing between Guadeloupe and France. His work centers on Black subjects as embodiments of both ancestral and personal histories, where each movement or posture carries layered stories. In Old Soul – New Soul, Radin uses painting, sculpture, and performance to invoke a rich, intergenerational dialogue that emphasizes respect for ancestral knowledge while exploring contemporary identities. Each piece reflects his belief that identity is a continuous evolution, rooted in history yet vibrantly alive in the present.

Visitors are welcomed on the first floor with an installation featuring wooden dominoes and Ka Spirit drums, carved and decorated by Radin and his uncle, a master of Gwo Ka music. The drums bring a distinctly Caribbean rhythm, a tribute to the sounds of Guadeloupe. The dominoes, larger-than-life, nod to Guadeloupe’s daily life and the community spirit inherent in the game. Through this installation, Radin draws parallels between Caribbean cultural symbols and the ongoing dialogue between tradition and modernity.

On the second floor, Radin’s paintings, such as WEB: The Link that Connects Us All, capture his fascination with movement in expressive brushstrokes. Unlike still photographs, Radin’s works convey fluid, dynamic gestures, suggesting a constant flux rather than a frozen moment. His debut film RIVÂL, meanwhile, explores themes of identity, rivalry, and migration through the story of two dancers, Cibuqueira and Karukera, navigating foreign spaces in search of their roots. Radin’s handcrafted wooden arch installation, recalling his childhood in a family of carpenters, serves as an intimate space for viewing this piece, enhancing the film’s theme of self-discovery and cultural belonging.

Ascending to the third floor, viewers encounter works that Radin describes as bridging the earthly and the celestial. His diptych Chaviré, Soukouss, Liberation portrays two figures in dynamic poses as if caught between falling and ascending, shedding masks that symbolize lost or evolving identities. These figures, paired with hand-carved wooden wings, can be interpreted as fallen angels or souls journeying towards liberation. The work’s title, in Guadeloupian Creole, adds layers of cultural and linguistic depth, alluding to upheaval, resilience, and transcendence.

Radin’s entire artistic process resonates with improvisation, drawing heavily from his experience as a dancer. Each painting captures fragments of powerful, sometimes androgynous bodies, posed mid-movement. Radin’s characters convey strength, energy, and a storied history, offering a visual narrative that merges vulnerability and power. His focus on the Black experience, embodied by his subjects, transforms each movement into a gesture of survival and communion.

The exhibition Old Soul – New Soul offers visitors an immersive journey through Radin’s cultural lens, blending Caribbean rhythm, European artistry, and a profound respect for heritage. Radin’s art invites viewers to reflect on how history, identity, and spirituality intertwine and transform through time. Esther Schipper’s gallery provides an ideal space for this dynamic narrative, where visitors can witness a seamless interplay between the past, present, and future through Radin’s innovative vision.

Sayart / Jason Yim, yimjongho1969@gmail.com