Seoul, October 21 – 30, http://slowslowquickquick.net/
Slow Slow Quick Quick (SSQQ) is an independent space in the Jongro/Euljiro area. The area consists of old small alleys of metalwork, woodwork and electric appliance workshops. SSQQ is located in one separate building, 3 floors tall with a small courtyard and separate room within it. It is not easy to find it, and I spend some time being lost before I luckily discovered it. As with other projects in this area, it is really low key, almost undercover and it requires an effort to find it and come here.
What I have heard was that this space is run or founded by Yangachi, a rather well known Korean artist on the alternative side of the scene. The exhibition space itself bore a significant imprint of Yangachi’s involvement through its design as well as a number of artefacts displayed for example the helmet with a dove mounted on top that has been used in the Bright Dove Hyunsook (2010) video-performance, one of Yangachi’s well known works.
During my visit the In the Monkey Monkey Shake Shake exhibition/event was taking place. The title seemed to refer both to the event as well as to the artist group behind it (Seung Moo Han 한승무, Sheldon 쉘던 and Hyo Hyo Lim 임효영 – using google transliteration of the names). In the center of the event was a musical performance, where performers and audience both wore funny animal costumes and danced around the streets, accompanied by simple catchy music tunes. It looked very surreal as if inspired by taking too much psychedelic drugs. The space itself served as a kind of base, and during the non-performance time one could see the costumes and props, as well as videos documenting the performance. The goal of doing something crazy and infusing some new life into a rather run down and disintegrating area of Seoul was clear, and as far as I could tell it seemed to work well.
