There are two giant pillars facing each other. A middle-aged woman, confined to a wheelchair, is wheeling away in a hurry. Her face, sporting an uneasy look, as if someone is following her, is projected onto the screen of one pillar. On the other pillar, there is a picture of a mysterious guy walking along, as if he is stalking someone.
These images say something in an artistic way. Although the two opposing screens feature only one person each, an odd relationship between the two figures is created by the juxtaposition of the two stories and structures. The two characters’ acting and the esoteric musical sounds that are coming through the speakers add a profound and mysterious air.
This work of video art is among 13 works of art by Danish artist Jesper Just on exhibit since April 19 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA). More meaningfully, the exhibition, entitled “Jesper Just: This is a Landscape of Desire,” was held to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and Denmark.
“In this video, the woman in the wheelchair is not seen as existing in a tragic story or as an object of pity,” said Just. “Instead, the piece focuses on delving into the intricate, deeply hidden aspects of human desire.”
The exhibition presents some of Just's most significant pieces made over the past ten years, as he has been pursuing the hidden elements of human lust, particularly in women.
In his early days, Just reflected male desire in his works of art. However, starting in 2008, he was drawn toward the instinctive desires of women. Then, it was at the 2013 Venice Biennial that the artist made his presence felt by global audiences, as well as by Korean audiences. Some of the results can be appreciated here at the exhibition.
Just unveiled a new piece, also titled, “This is a Landscape of Desire,” wherein two women of different ages appear, one being a young overweight woman in a casual blouse, wandering through a field, and the other, in great contrast, being a thin, middle-aged woman in a business suit driving on a highway surrounded by high rises.
According to the artist, through the stark contrast between the two figures, with different colors and a different air, he tried to disclose, “the journey of exploring the secret land of desire.”
“My pieces feature women from diverse backgrounds, those really not found in mainstream films, for example women in wheelchairs or what some might consider to be unattractive women,” Just said during a press conference on April 18.
“My works look like cinema, but they expand beyond cinema. Usually, when you watch a movie, you just sit down and watch it, being inactive and not moving. For my work, however, you have to move from one screen to another and have to appreciate them both emotionally and physically. This, as a whole, relates to human bodies and it is important to appreciate the works with emotion.”
In contrast to cinematic films that are supposed to give answers to the question about what their narratives mean, his works give “questions,” rather than answers. “For this reason, the way to understand my work depends on each individual,” he emphasized.
This exhibition continues until August 3. More information can be found at the official website, below.
http://www.mmca.go.kr/eng/
By Sohn JiAe, Lee Jeong-rok
Korea.net Staff Writer
jiae5853@korea.kr
These images say something in an artistic way. Although the two opposing screens feature only one person each, an odd relationship between the two figures is created by the juxtaposition of the two stories and structures. The two characters’ acting and the esoteric musical sounds that are coming through the speakers add a profound and mysterious air.
The “This is a Landscape of Desire” exhibition showcases 13 works of art by Danish video artist Jesper Just until August 3. Among them is “This Nameless Spectacle” (2011), as seen in the screenshot above. (photo courtesy of the MMCA)
This work of video art is among 13 works of art by Danish artist Jesper Just on exhibit since April 19 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul (MMCA). More meaningfully, the exhibition, entitled “Jesper Just: This is a Landscape of Desire,” was held to mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and Denmark.
“In this video, the woman in the wheelchair is not seen as existing in a tragic story or as an object of pity,” said Just. “Instead, the piece focuses on delving into the intricate, deeply hidden aspects of human desire.”
One of Jesper Just’s works, “This is a Landscape of Desire,” invites viewers to contemplate the nature of the desire that exists deep inside two completely different people. (photo courtesy of the MMCA)
The exhibition presents some of Just's most significant pieces made over the past ten years, as he has been pursuing the hidden elements of human lust, particularly in women.
In his early days, Just reflected male desire in his works of art. However, starting in 2008, he was drawn toward the instinctive desires of women. Then, it was at the 2013 Venice Biennial that the artist made his presence felt by global audiences, as well as by Korean audiences. Some of the results can be appreciated here at the exhibition.
Just unveiled a new piece, also titled, “This is a Landscape of Desire,” wherein two women of different ages appear, one being a young overweight woman in a casual blouse, wandering through a field, and the other, in great contrast, being a thin, middle-aged woman in a business suit driving on a highway surrounded by high rises.
According to the artist, through the stark contrast between the two figures, with different colors and a different air, he tried to disclose, “the journey of exploring the secret land of desire.”
Danish video artist Jesper Just speaks of his artistic world at a press conference on April 18. (photos: Sohn JiAe)
“My pieces feature women from diverse backgrounds, those really not found in mainstream films, for example women in wheelchairs or what some might consider to be unattractive women,” Just said during a press conference on April 18.
“My works look like cinema, but they expand beyond cinema. Usually, when you watch a movie, you just sit down and watch it, being inactive and not moving. For my work, however, you have to move from one screen to another and have to appreciate them both emotionally and physically. This, as a whole, relates to human bodies and it is important to appreciate the works with emotion.”
In contrast to cinematic films that are supposed to give answers to the question about what their narratives mean, his works give “questions,” rather than answers. “For this reason, the way to understand my work depends on each individual,” he emphasized.
A scene from Jesper Just’s, “A Voyage in Dwelling” (2008). (photo courtesy of the MMCA)
This exhibition continues until August 3. More information can be found at the official website, below.
http://www.mmca.go.kr/eng/
By Sohn JiAe, Lee Jeong-rok
Korea.net Staff Writer
jiae5853@korea.kr
