Forms of the Shadow

Featuring: Nilbar Güreş; Ramin Haerizadeh, Rokni Haerizadeh and Hesam Rahmanian; Kyungah Ham; Young In Hong; ikkibawiKrrr; Jane Jin Kaisen; Joon Kim; Lee Bul; Lee Kit; Mikael Levin; Minouk Lim; Moon Kyungwon & Jeon Joonho; Adrián Villar Rojas; Ramiro Wong; Haegue Yang; Tomoko Yoneda; Jin-me Yoon; Min Yoon

Curated by Sunjung Kim.
Programmed by the board of the Secession.

The Vienna Secession is delighted to host the major group exhibition Forms of the Shadow; curated by Sunjung Kim, Artistic Director of the Art Sonje Center in Seoul. The exhibition casts light on contemporary shadows unveiled by the global pandemic, the climate crisis, and geopolitical tensions. Through this thematic lens, it invites viewers to reflect upon the interconnectedness of our world and the complexities of navigating through turbulent times. By shedding light on the ever-shifting nature of shadows and their metaphorical significance in witnessing the passage of time, the exhibition prompts reflection on the intricate layers of human existence.

The works on view in Forms of the Shadow are distributed across three groups. The first features a diverse range of artistic expressions that explore geopolitical tensions, notably focusing on the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Further on, the challenges and connections inherent within wider temporal and intellectual landscapes are examined in works which probe historical and geographical sutures, such as those between East and West, as well as between fin-de-siècle Habsburg and modern-day Vienna.

While this first group of works embodies a melancholic sense of hope for the future, subsequent groupings uncover further tragic or uncomfortable truths about life and death—not just physical death, but social and metaphorical death as well.

Spread across both the Secession and the nearby Korean Cultural Centre, the final group is dedicated to the concept of nature reclaiming areas once disturbed by human intervention—this is especially evident in the DMZ, which has remained inaccessible for over 70 years. Contrasting with the human-dominated spaces elsewhere in the show, this section focuses on the way in which plants and animals have been able to retake territories that have, for a variety of reasons, become uninhabitable by humans.

Forms of the Shadow offers nuanced insights into the resilience of nature amidst human intervention as well as the enduring pursuit of hope among adversity. Sculptures, paintings, embroideries, and performances invite viewers to immerse themselves in a sensory journey that delves deep into the intricate layers of human experience, revealing the perpetual dance between light and shadow that defines our collective travels on this planet. 

In collaboration with Art Sonje Center, Seoul.
The exhibition continues at the Korean Cultural Center, Kärnter Straße 43.

Publication
The exhibition is accompanied by a publication. The digital publications are available for free here.

Opening program
Exhibition talk: Thursday, September 19, 2024, 6pm (in English)
With Sunjung Kim, Adrián Villar Rojas and Jane Jin Kaisen, moderated by Noit Banai.
Opening: Thursday, September 19, 2024, 7pm

Press contact: presse@secession.at
Press preview: Thursday, September 19, 2024, 10am
Press materials: secession.at/presse.