Galerie Eva Presenhuber x P21 in Seoul proudly presents Celestial Snowdrops, the latest solo exhibition by Scottish artist Martin Boyce. Running from October 25, 2024, to January 8, 2025, this exhibition marks Boyce’s sixth collaboration with Galerie Eva Presenhuber and his second solo show in Korea. Known for his ability to transform everyday objects into poetic and melancholic art forms, Boyce presents a series of works that evoke both memory and dreams, casting a melancholic atmosphere over an interior landscape infused with celestial imagery.
At the heart of Celestial Snowdrops lies Boyce’s mobile The Weight of the Tides, a piece that masterfully captures Boyce’s signature style of fragmented yet unified imagery. Hanging from the ceiling, this mobile features the silhouette of a Weeping Willow tree, its elongated chains hanging close to the floor. This evokes a sense of suspended time and memory, with the industrial palette creating an atmosphere both grounded and otherworldly. The ‘moon’—a delicately painted, perforated structure—hovers nearby, creating a poignant interplay of light and shadow that resonates deeply with Boyce’s melancholic vision.
Complementing this central mobile are three framed woodblock panels bearing the words "Oceans," "Falling," and "Always." These panels form a three-word poem, a minimalist touch that reflects Boyce’s affinity for exploring memory and temporality. Previously used to create prints featured in Boyce’s 2023 exhibition The Stars Are Out in Vienna, the blocks here symbolize absence, as their surfaces now bear marks from the printing process, rendering them unusable for further printing, akin to a photographic negative after use.
A key piece in the exhibition, Dead Star (yellow wall lamp), highlights Boyce’s ability to manipulate everyday objects into artistic symbols. Though it takes the form of a wall lamp made from perforated steel, brass, and bronze, it cannot emit light; the lamp holder is cast in bronze, transforming it into a "dead star," a sculptural form with a haunting presence. This absence of illumination is echoed throughout Boyce’s works in Celestial Snowdrops, creating a sense of cosmic melancholy.
Boyce’s work, particularly in this exhibition, showcases a deep-rooted connection to memory and landscape. His minimalist approach often combines industrial materials with a lyrical touch, invoking both the poetic and the pragmatic. The presence of celestial and natural elements in his pieces invites viewers to ponder the beauty and fragility of the world around them, capturing the transient nature of time.
Born in Hamilton, Scotland, Boyce’s career has been distinguished by numerous accolades, including the 2011 Turner Prize for his installation Do Words Have Voices at the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art. His installations have been exhibited globally at prestigious institutions such as Tate Britain, Museum für Moderne Kunst in Frankfurt, and the A4 Art Museum in Chengdu. Boyce’s unique voice in the contemporary art scene continues to resonate through his refined yet powerful compositions.
This Seoul exhibition not only allows viewers a rare glimpse into Boyce’s artistic process but also invites reflection on how art can capture the ephemeral. With works that blur the boundaries between functional objects and sculptural forms, Celestial Snowdrops highlights Boyce’s profound understanding of memory, time, and space, drawing visitors into a contemplative and dreamlike experience.
Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com
