The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Presents Decoding Korea, an Art Exhibition in Paris during the 2024 Olympics

●        Exhibition Dates: July 26–August 25, 2024

●        Location: Grand Palais Immersif, Paris

●        Exhibition Title: Decoding Korea

The exhibition features 18 works by 11 contemporary media artists exploring modern Korean society, alongside a special exhibition dedicated to Nam June PAIK.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Yu In Chon, MCST), in collaboration with the Korea Arts Management Service (Acting Director KIM Beom-hoon), will host the Korean art exhibition Decoding Korea from July 26 (Fri) to August 25 (Sun) at the Grand Palais Immersif in Paris to coincide with the 2024 Paris Olympics. The official website is as follow:  www.grandpalais-immersif.fr

Decoding Korea aims to interpret Korea through the lens of contemporary media art. The exhibition focuses on the multifaceted nature of Korean society, which has undergone radical change due to industrialization. Featuring works by 11 prominent Korean media artists, including the pioneering Nam June PAIK, the exhibition will showcase 18 works by artists KANG Yiyun, KWON Hayoun, KIM Heecheon, RAM HAN, ROOMTONE, PARK Junebum, YEOM Ji Hye, LEE Yongbaek, LEE Lee-nam, and JUNG Yeondoo.

There has been a growing interest in Korean art, with numerous exhibitions highlighting Korean artists in the US and Europe. Korean media art, in particular, has gained attention for its technical excellence and innovative use of technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR). The works presented in Decoding Korea will offer new visual experiences through cutting-edge technology, while also conveying the philosophical concerns of contemporary Korean artists. This exhibition aims to provide visitors from around the world, who are in Paris for the Olympics, with a multidimensional understanding of Korea.

An Exhibition Exploring Contemporary Korean Society

This exhibition features works that explore contemporary Korean society— its social, historical, and cultural contexts. Highlights include:

●       Finite by KANG Yiyun, a projection mapping[1] piece emphasizing the ecological interconnection of all elements on Earth.

●       489 Years by KWON Hayoun, a virtual reality (VR) work that rediscovers the ecological value of the Demilitarized Zone.

●       Angel Soldier by LEE Yongbaek, featured in the Korean Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale.

●       Crow’s Eye View by JUNG Yeondoo, inspired by a poem by Lee Sang with the sane title, offering a view of Ulsan from a crow’s perspective.

Nam June PAIK Special Exhibition: Highlighting Diversity and International Solidarity through Art

The exhibition also includes a special section dedicated to Nam June PAIK. This section features Global Groove, an experiment in global cultural fusion blending tradition and modernity, East and West, abstraction and representation. It also includes Wrap Around the World, an international satellite broadcast project involving over ten countries ahead of the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Visitors will experience Paik’s vision of international solidarity, realized in the context of the Olympics, the world’s foremost sports and cultural festival, taking place in France.

Part of the ‘2024 Korea Season’ Program

This exhibition is part of the ‘2024 Korea Season’ (www.koreaseason.co.kr), a program aimed at introducing Korean culture to a global audience across France for six months starting from May 2, in conjunction with the 2024 Paris Olympics. In addition to the Decoding Korea art exhibition, the ‘2024 Korea Season’ features a variety of programs by private and public art organizations, including:

●       Special Gala by the Korea National Ballet at Paris Korea House (July 28–29).

●       Special exhibition <Noli : jeux Coréens> organized by the Korean Cultural Centre in Paris (May 24 - October 5)

●       Immersive art exhibition  <Mouvement> co-organized by the  Korean Cultural Centre in Paris and the KOFICE (June 21 - September 21)

●       Korean performances such as Fever and Substance at the Aurillac Festival (August 14–17).

●       Performances by the Heart-Heart Foundation’s Developmentally Disabled Orchestra at Salle Gaveau (September 7–8).