Kim Ayoung, a leading Korean media artist, has launched her first solo exhibition in Berlin, marking a significant moment in her global artistic journey. The exhibition, titled "Many Worlds Over," opened on February 28 at Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart, one of Germany’s most prestigious contemporary art museums.
The exhibition showcases a diverse range of Kim’s video installations and sculptures, including her latest work, "Delivery Dancer’s Sphere: 0° Receiver." This piece, originally commissioned by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) and first exhibited in Melbourne in 2024, has been recognized as a groundbreaking extension of Kim’s "Delivery Dancer" (2022–present) series.
The narrative follows two female riders, Ernst Mo and N Storm, who discover their ability to transcend multiple realities. As they realize that Seoul exists as just one of many possible worlds, they embark on a journey through various temporal and spatial dimensions. This conceptual framework explores the evolving relationship between humanity and artificial intelligence, addressing the constant integration of new technologies into human life.
Dr. Sam Bardaouil, director of Hamburger Bahnhof, emphasized the exhibition’s significance in redefining contemporary art’s engagement with technology. "This exhibition is not just an artistic endeavor but a critical discourse on the role of technology in society. It is also the first exhibition in the museum’s history to fully embrace new media art, setting a precedent for our future curatorial direction," he stated.
"Many Worlds Over" is supported by Hamburger Bahnhof International Companions e.V., the Samsung Foundation of Culture, and the SBS Cultural Foundation. An exhibition catalog has been published to accompany the show, which will run until July 20.
Kim’s international recognition continues to grow. In November 2024, she is set to hold a solo exhibition at MoMA PS1 in New York, further solidifying her status as a major contemporary artist. Additionally, she recently won the LG Guggenheim Award, making her the first Korean artist to receive this honor.
With a career spanning video, moving images, sonic fiction, VR, game simulations, and diagrammatic storytelling, Kim has consistently redefined contemporary narratives by bridging historical, geopolitical, and speculative themes. Her works have been showcased at major institutions, including the Venice Biennale (2015) and Palais de Tokyo (2016), and are housed in prestigious collections such as Tate Modern, Sharjah Art Foundation, and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea.
Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com
