National Museum of Contemporary Art Korea
Earth-Water-Fire-Air. Channel video projection Courtesy of Kimsooja Studio
Channel video projection Courtesy of Kimsooja Studio
National Museum of
Contemporary Art Korea is
pleased to announce official opening of Nuclear Power Plant Art Project in
Yeonggwang and its first commissioned site-specific installation entitled,
Earth-Water-Fire -Air by Kimsooja. This project is the power plant’s
first of the public art project series organized to transform the city of
Yeonggwang into the place where man and the nature; energy and technology
converge. World’s renowned artists are scheduled to create site-specific
installations that deal with the nature and energy around the nuclear
power station. Utilizing 1,192 meter long, 8 meter wide boardwalk on the
breakwater toward a lighthouse at the end, this project marks first of
many hand-in-hand efforts by power plants and artists as venues is
extended to other nuclear power plants including the ones in Uljin, Gori,
Wolsung, etc.
For the first of the series, Kimsooja’s six channel
video installation from Earth-Water-Fire-Air on going project is selected
and will be projected every night onto the screens; each of them are
spaced approximately 200 meters apart along the water break. The main
concept of the series is created based on four fundamental elements of
nature: Earth - Water - Fire - Air constantly interrelate to one another
as they continue to merge, transform and extinct while organically embrace
and exclude to one another. Video footages taken in Lanzarote Island and
Guatemalan volcanoes are featured as the artist’s visual manifestation
of nirvana in which each four basic elements reincarnate; burning lava
flow became rocks and dust that blew in the air. Titles of each videos,
Fire of Earth, Water of Earth, Earth of Water, Air of Fire , Air of Earth,
Air of Water, Fire of Air, Water of Air support such interchanging idea
that characteristics of one element is created by the other elements that
is related to eastern philosophy, such as Zen Buddhism and Taoism. The
artist questions the nuclear power energy as a tool that has two sides of
blade revealing the power of yin and yang energy that recreate both
productive and destructive energy.
This project challenges us to relocate
to our origin and to contemplate the peaceful and productive use of the
natural energy for the only earth we live on. Project credits This
project is organized and hosted by the National Museum of Contemporary
Art, Korea and Membership Society of the National Museum of Contemporary
Art, Korea. Organizers thank to sponsors: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power &
Hanjin Shipping for their generous support in realizing the project.
Related Events Press Conference 31. August , 2010, Tuesday Opening
Reception September 3, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. at Nuclear Power Plant in
Yeonggwang Evening Projections Everyday from September 3 thru September
17, 2010 Site Visit Transportation to the venue is available on 3rd and
4th of September.
And please note following: Due to high security
measure applies at the nuclear power site, all visitors are subjected to
confirmation with personal information provided by the visitor prior to
the visit. For reservation, call +82-2-536-7195 and +82-10-8748-0679 or
email curator@kanarts.com
Media Contact
For additional information, images, or to request an interview, please
contact our media partner, KAN
e.mail. curator@kanarts.com
tel. 82-
10- 8748- 0679
Artist website. http://www.kimsooja.com
Opening Reception: September 3, 2010 at 6:00 p.m.
Breakwater at Nuclear Power Plant in Yeonggwang
Korea For Site Visit Reservation: e-mail. curator@kanarts.com or call + 82-10-8748-0679