Exhibition view of "Jiyoung Yoo: Closed Containers "at Leeum Museum of Art. Photo by studio49visual. ©Jiyoung Yoo.The Leeum Museum of Art’s lounge area in the lobby has been completely renovated. Through the work of artist Jiyoung Yoo, the lounge wall is now covered in pastel-colored waves and sideboard-like doors.
The ROOM Project is the museum’s first exhibition program to feature young and emerging artists in their 20s and 30s. The program is devoted to bridging the gap between contemporary art and the general public through the works of artists who explore new concepts in innovative ways.
The program is also a way to diversify Leeum’s programs; provide opportunities for young artists to present their works in-depth as a solo show, and increase public interest in the next generation of artists. The lounge area will be transformed by invited artists into a site-specific art project that visitors can interact with.
Partial installation view of "Jiyoung Yoo: Closed Containers "at Leeum Museum of Art. Photo by studio49visual. ©Jiyoung Yoo.Jiyoung Yoo (b. 1991) is the first artist to participate in the ROOM Project. Jiyoung Yoo: Closed Containers is a collection of seven new artworks that challenge conventional conditions for the creation of art.
Yoo focused on the museum’s collections that could be considered containers, such as bottles, jars, bowls, plates, and furniture. These items were once utilized in daily life. Now that they are part of the museum’s collection, they are no longer useful. Instead, these objects are filled with interminable time and creativity.
Based on this idea, Yoo placed unusable sideboards and drawers on the walls of the lounge and visualized the infinite possibilities that these closed containers hold as sweeping waves on the wall.
Jiyoung Yoo: Closed Containers is on view from June 21 through December 18, 2022.
