Next-Generation Creators -
‘PROJECT HASHTAG 2020’ with MMCA
5 minute read
In collaboration with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Korea (MMCA), it’s exciting to unveil the incredible works behind PROJECT HASHTAG 2020, and the talent and inspiration behind them.
Entrance of PROJECT HASHTAG 2020. Photo: Tabial
Park Jaeyoung (GANGNAMBUG) explains
Win, Lose or Draw: The Drawing Competition
Created by the teams that won last year’s PROJECT HASHTAG (#) contest, the PROJECT HASHTAG 2020 exhibition highlights the creative flair of the next generation. The project is open to everyone in all artistic fields, including but not limited to artists, film writers, dancers, architects, etc. It is designed to give opportunities to young creative talents to showcase their creations in one of the world’s most revered art establishments.
By embracing the open spirit of the hashtag, the project has become a launchpad for the next generation of artists and creators from a variety of different fields. Having been unveiled via live broadcasting live on the MMCA’s YouTube Channel, the exhibition is now open for curious art lovers to witness in person at the MMCA Seoul, right the way through to 30 September 2020.
Seoul Queer Collective, Installation view. Photo: Tabial
So what can you expect to see?
Presenting GANGNAMBUG and Seoul Queer Collective (SQC),
the two winners of the inaugural PROJECT # contest in 2019
GANGNAMBUG
Through the exhibition, the creators known as GANGNAMBUG showcase the Seoul district of Gangnam, shedding light on the area as an object of aspiration, as well as frustration. Traditionally, Gangnam is a symbol of Korea’s economic growth, however, the GANGNAMBUG team views the area as a strange anomaly, which they liken to a computer bug. The area unexpectedly emerged through the urban development of Korea, and with it has come luxury shops, expensive real estate, and private education. The team has worked to creatively reposition the images and values associated with Gangnam, and shed new light on the district.
Lee Kyung Taek, Park Jaeyoung, Kim Nayoun, Lee Jungwoo
Photo: Lee Kanghyuk
Within their exhibition, you will find Gangnambus, an interactive bus tour. At each of the four stops, the tour guides assume different roles, as working mothers, actors, and so on, to share their stories about the area.
Through this, GANGNAMBUG offers visitors a chance to develop a deeper understanding of this unique neighborhood by hearing the personal stories of the guides.
GANGNAMBUS
2020, Participatory Art Project, 2 Channel Video (synchronized), 51min 18sec, color, sound, 4K
Elsewhere, Win, Lose or Draw: The Drawing Competition breaks down the college prep courses offered in Gangnam, the city’s hub of private education, where drawing exams are commonplace.
By using an interactive participation competition, the exhibition aims to restore the fun of drawing, with visitors asked to draw a plaster cast within a time limit. The submitted drawings are posted online and ranked by people’s votes. In this way, the exhibition highlights how drawing techniques used for exams in Gangnam remove all the pleasure of drawing.
Win, Lose or Draw: The Drawing Competition
2020, Participatory Art Project, Drawing Installation, Single Channel Video, 30min 34sec, color, sound, FHD
GANGNAMBUG, Installation view. Photo: Tabial
Seoul Queer Collective (SQC)
The second side of the PROJECT HASHTAG 2020 exhibition showcases the work of the Seoul Queer Collective, a group of artists interested in minority groups that have been “Other-ized” and marginalized through gentrification of the Jongro 3-ga area of Seoul, South Korea.
The SQC uses the term ‘urban queer’ to describe the various minority groups in the area, and through their art, they present these groups as accepted members of the community, and explore the problems faced by them because of gentrification.
Kwon Wook, Kim Jungmin, Nam Soojung, Jung Seungwoo
Photo: Lee Kanghyuk
The team does this in several ways:
from magnifying the visibility of the urban queer with the use of seminars that discuss issues related to the city, and also through publications like Others, Jongro 3-ga, a book that explores the diverse experiences and thoughts of the neighborhood’s inhabitants.
Meanwhile, Drawing the Trajectory of Your Life is a participatory website that allows you to map your life using data like your age and gender. By doing this, it highlights how the 'urban queers' lives are not bound to any specific space.
Others, Jongro 3-ga
2020, Book, 282 pages
Supporting art initiatives, encouraging innovation,
and helping facilitate creative ideas have never been a maybe,
but a must.
GANGNAMBUG and Seoul Queer Collective may have been the two winning teams of the most recent PROJECT #, but there were hundreds of worthy entries. As part of this five-year project, every year we will be supporting two teams, providing them with a grant, studio, and overseas opportunity. Every year we will also be supporting one major Korean artist as part of the MMCA Hyundai Motor Series, while elsewhere, with the Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational, we are encouraging innovative ways of thinking about art and global art histories, connecting international audiences with artists in partnership with Bloomberg.
Anesthesia Gangnam
2020, Research, Architectural Plans, Drawings, Model, etc.
Supporting art initiatives, encouraging innovation, and helping facilitate creative ideas have never been a maybe, but a must. This year’s thought-provoking exhibitions at MMCA encourage us to think differently about situations often taken at face value. With partnerships with museums and organizations around the world, we’re intrigued to witness what some of South Korea’s most talented emerging artists will discover.
About Hyundai Motor’s Art Projects
Hyundai Motor Company has been supporting art initiatives driven by long-term partnerships with global museums―the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), Tate and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) since 2013, along with major sponsorships for the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2015, 2017, 2019 and the 20th and 21st Biennale of Sydney.
The newly established Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational encourages innovative ways of thinking about art and global art histories, and in partnership with global media group Bloomberg, Hyundai Motor Company connects international audiences with artists exploring the convergence of art and technology.