Seoul, September 15, 2015 – February 14, 2016, http://mmca.go.kr
The interesting thing about this show was that there was almost nothing in the space. Ahn Kyuchul seems to be a seriously “conceptual” artist, and this seriousness is something to be respected. At the same time, the show did not feel like something detached and theoretical. Despite of the lack of “objects” and the artist’s love of “void”, the artist came across as very empathic and attempting to engage in a dialogue with the audience. This fact, in the end was also evident in the title referring to one of the universal human emotions.
The lightness of the show was enjoyable, but it could be also raise suspicion, making some works appear on the edge of being nothing more than practical jokes. But then, by placing ‘nothingness’ at the center of his interest, Ahn Kyuchul managed to fend off any such doubts.
The works: A concentric circle aquarium / racetrack / torture chamber for goldfish. A piano which just stood there and did nothing. A constant stream of volunteers copying / transcribing a number of books by hand. An arrangement of hanging flower pots slowly rotating in space. A maze from dark violet velvet. A post-it “wall of memories” and a large empty sphere one could walk into.
