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Climate, capitalism and technology challenged by artists in 'Random Access Project' exhibition

Published: 26 Feb. 2025, 13:00 Updated: 26 Feb. 2025, 14:40

SHIN MIN-HEE
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Works by artist duo Jeong Hye-seon and Yuk Seong-min are on view at the Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi, as part of the ″Random Access Project 4.0″ exhibition. [NAM JUNE PAIK ART CENTER]

YONGIN, Gyeonggi — Included in the late avant-garde media artist Nam June Paik’s (1932-2006) first solo exhibition poster in 1963 was the motto of French philosopher Montaigne: “Que sais-je?” meaning “What do I know?”

This sort of skepticism is what encouraged Paik to break new ground in the then-uncharted video art medium, with his work continuing to raise a similar discourse among younger artists in the present day, according to Lim Chae-eun, curator at the Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi.

The museum not only focuses on commemorating the late artist’s accomplishments but aims to continue his legacy and influence through supporting contemporary artists.

Its ongoing “Random Access Project 4.0” exhibition is one example of the latter. Seven teams of artists were selected to challenge conventional social structures and issues, such as capitalism, pollution and hyperconnectivity.

The participating artists are yang02, Kim Ho-nam, Han U-ri, Saroot Supasuthivech, Chang Han-na, Goyoson and duo Jeong Hye-seon and Yuk Seong-min.

Works by Chang Han-na are on view at the Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi, as part of the ″Random Access Project 4.0″ exhibition. [NAM JUNE PAIK ART CENTER]

Chang Han-na, for example, proposes a new narrative on the prevalent predicament of plastic waste in her installation “New Ecosystem” (2021/2025). She created the word “new rock,” referring to petrified plastics. Through research with environmental experts, she explores the intertwined relationship between artificial materials and natural resources, like how plastic is made from petroleum, a type of fossil fuel, recognizing the current ecosystem as a “hybrid state.”

“Plastic is generally seen as the ultimate synthetic substance, but I realized that it undergoes an unimaginable process to go back to the earth after when it’s discarded,” Chang said during a press conference at the exhibition earlier this month.

Japanese artist yang02 tackled the subject of robotics in the workplace for “Installation in Progress” (2022), in which a robot continuously circles around a scaffold platform with several objects arranged on top, repeatedly selecting and transporting the objects around. The objects were selected randomly, including a vase, a chair installation by Paik, a rock and a wireless vacuum cleaner, to show that in the perspective of a robot, all items are equal, no matter the value.

Works by yang02 are on view at the Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi, as part of the ″Random Access Project 4.0″ exhibition. [NAM JUNE PAIK ART CENTER]

“Online shopping surged in popularity since the pandemic, allowing us to receive our packages even while at home,” yang02 said. “We may take online shopping for granted now, but I wanted to remind people what’s constantly going on behind the scenes.”

The artist duo Jeong Hye-seon and Yuk Seong-min, through video and installation, imagine a future scenario in which animal tracking data aids in predicting climate change or natural disasters. At the same time, the duo explore the “Internet of Animals” — the critter version of the Internet of Things, or IoT.

“We envisioned a hyperconnected network where we are able to connect the data from every single living being,” the duo said. “It then led us to contemplate how this new interconnected structure would help deviate from the dominant and subordinate dynamics that humans have with animals.”

“Random Access Project 4.0” continues until June 29. The Nam June Paik Art Center is open every day except Mondays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibition is free.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [[email protected]]