or, Who are you calling big nose?
From the latest show at the Saatchi Gallery, Korean Eye 2012.
The piece, by Debbie Han, is called "The Battle of Conception".
In case you thought vacuous artspeak was confined to the West:
I have been deeply drawn to the issue of how human experiences are shaped and defined in contemporary culture. My sculpture and photo series explore the theme of female imagery as a means to investigate contemporary cultural dynamics and global social relations. As the world draws closer together in our current cultural climate, there is greater urgency than ever before to find ways to understand and acknowledge the diversities and differences existing at all levels of human life. My work serves to engage in a deeper forum regarding identity, perception, and culturalization, all of which I believe shape our awareness of who we are and of the world. I have been attempting to create a kind of visual language that not only carries on postmodern concerns but also simultaneously embraces past legacies as a new vision of our future.
Still awake? There's more:
‘The Battle of Conception’ is a sculpture installation consisting of 32 heads staged like a chess game on a large table. A group of Venus busts with facial features depicting diverse racial and ethnic characteristics face another group of Venus busts with obliterated facial features. My vision is to revive the mystical color of ancient Korean celadon, which is considered one of most authentic Korean beauties. This project is the outcome of a six-year journey exploring the techniques and traditions of celadon in Korea. Each sculpture is manually sculpted on the base of a slip cast. The installation investigates the critical importance of human conception as the key to defining others and ourselves. Social conceptions and cultural experiences contribute critically to shaping one’s perception of reality. In understanding the making of our awareness, we gain a deeper understanding of others and ourselves.
She's right, you know.
You want more? Here's some manipulated photography from Lee Jiyen:
Effective, I think: all those little people going up and down steps, like some strange urban dystopia. What does the artist have to say?
Life is compartmentalized - the subsistence of existence makes it difficult to think otherwise -from blink of an eye, to breathing to sleeping and waking, to ingesting food and discharging waste, even so far as to making noise. Perhaps the living body is merely flesh that whittles away its own existence?
Well, it's a thought.
Interesting show - as I've said before, the Saatchi Gallery is a delightful place to wander round - but you're better off just looking at the art, without bothering to read the catalogue. As is true, come to think of it, of most exhibitions nowadays.
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