Changwon Sculpture Biennale 2020
Garners Attention for Its Theme,
“Non-Sculpture: Light or Flexible”
The opening of Changwon Sculpture Biennale 2020 is just around the corner in 37 days. The Biennale will take place for 46 days from September 17th to November 1st at Seongsan Art Hall and Yongji Park (Pojeongsa). To understand the keyword “non-sculpture” for this year’s theme, “Non-Sculpture: Light or Flexible,” it is essential to explore the following: 1. Essay of Rosalind Krauss, 2. Sculptor Seung-taek Lee, and 3. Eastern Philosophy.
Firstly, it is important to understand the semiotic methodology proposed by American art historian Rosalind Krauss in her landmark 1979 essay “Sculpture in the Expanded Field” to describe sculpture as an intersection of “not-landscape” and “not-architecture.” This methodology was actively appropriated for the Biennale to showcase a variety of “non-sculptures” that are part of a wider spectrum of what defines a sculpture. Sculptures have been associated with a 3-dimensional shape, plastic art, rigid stone, or large-scale statues. The Biennale, however, will illustrate to the visitors the new trend in the modern art scene by showcasing creative ways to construct a sculpture with materials that are “light or flexible.”
Secondly, the keyword makes a reference to the non-sculptural experiments toward sculpture described in “The Origin of My Non-Sculpture,” a 1980 essay by Korean sculptor Seung-taek Lee. Lee inherited the concept of non-sculpture, in resistance to the legacy of the Western modern sculpture. He developed his own distinctive style, breaking away from the mainstream Korean art scene of the late 1950s to the 1960s dominated by monochrome paintings. His sculptures were built using non-sculptural objects including straw-braided ropes, strings, fish nets, old fabric, cloth pieces, human hair, feathers, pebbles, and buoys. Special Exhibition 1_Seung-taek Lee, Non-Sculpture of Korea offers an in-depth look into the works and archives of the oldest artist participating in this year’s Biennale, which are an extension of his non-sculptural sculpture experiments.
Thirdly, the term “non-sculpture” builds on the aesthetics of immateriality in the East and Korea. Sung-ho Kim, Artistic Director of the Biennale, explains that contemporary Western artworks have their roots in the East. Eastern influences include intangible energy such as qi(氣) and tao(道), the ontological concepts of nothingness(無) and emptiness(空), as well as the cosmological notions of logic(理) and harmony(和). Conceptual, video and performance artists of the West in the 1960s and 1970s are believed to have readily embraced the concept of immateriality.
Lastly, the adjectives “light (form)” and “flexible (content)” that supplement the keyword “non-sculpture” indicate sculptures that are process-oriented, not result-oriented, and that employ the idea of being incomplete toward completion.
“This year’s theme will help us practice self-denial and self-reflection, in celebration of the 10 years since the Biennale’s inception and the 10th anniversary of the host city Changwon’s merger with neighboring cities. We would like to present exhibitions that would allow us to reflect on the past and the present and ultimately foresee where we will be in 10 years down the road,” said Kim.
The upcoming Biennale will be the largest in the event’s history, with over 90 artists from some 30 countries. It will also showcase the largest share of Korean artists outside of Seoul and provide a venue to nurture community curators and new artists. These new features are a testament to the Director’s continued efforts to improve issues identified in past installments and focus on the essentials.
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