Korean Artist Ahn Kyuchul Expresses Isolation And The Lack Of Communication In His ‘Invisible Land Of Love’ Solo Exhibit At The MMCA Seoul Branch

Korean Artist Ahn Kyuchul is holding a solo exhibit at the Seoul branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) titled "Invisible Land of Love," which speaks about isolation and the lack of communication. The exhibit features eight recent artwork of the 60-year-old artist, which will be included in the second edition of the MMCA Hyundai Motor Series, reports Korea JoongAng Daily on Wednesday.

Ahn's work "Nine Goldfish" marks the opening of the exhibit featuring a turquoise pond made up of nine concentric circles. The theme of "Invisible Land of Love" is depicted in the nine red goldfish placed in the pond, each on one of the nine concentric circles, preventing them from ever meeting each other.

In another work, titled "The Pianist and the Tuner," a real-life pianist will play the same piece at the same time each day on a piano installed at the museum. Every day, a piano tuner will also come to the exhibit to detach one piano hammer each day.

"With the gradual elimination of the piano hammers, one by one, the performance gradually falls apart until it arrives at complete silence in the end," explains the exhibit brochure.

The "64 Rooms" features what Ahn describes as "a labyrinth of voluntary desolation and absence," comprising 64 small cells separated by dark blue velvet curtains.

"Many viewers could feel fear in it, not only from the sense of isolation but also from another viewer they might suddenly encounter in it," remarks Ahn.

One of Ahn's works in the exhibit, "1,000 Scribes," encourages participation from the audience. It indicates that some aspects of isolation pushes people to a higher level of communication.

Korea Herald has noted on Sept. 17 that the artwork requires participants to complete pages of a novel for an hour, with the paper and pencil provided. The manuscript that the participants use to transcribe literary works will be reproduced after the exhibition and distributed to them.

"Creating a work with paper and a pencil has always been inspiring for someone like me who make figures out of hard materials," notes Ahn. "Writing has always been something I admire."

Ahn Kyuchul's "Invisible Land of Love" will run until Feb.14, 2016 with a $3.40 admission fee. Free admission is offered from Sept. 26-29 in observance of the Chuseok holiday.