Jae-Min Hyun
To research the Young British Art phenomenon as a case study of a paradigm
shift in contemporary art in relation to the social and cultural changes due
to the new political and economic state of globalization in the late 20th century.
To define the unique attitude of Young British Art, I want to recognize its two
distinctive characteristics, which are the attention to locality and the hybrid
quality of its practice. I think the roots of these characteristics can be found
in the social and cultural conditions of the time in which these artists grew
up. The social condition in which I find the connection to YBA is the ‘globalization’,
a new phase of capitalism in the late 20th century.
The generation of Young British Art seems
to have experienced security and optimism for art and culture under
Britain’s economic prosperity of the 1980s. At the same time
the overflow of images and information through the unprecedented
system of worldwide communication gave this generation a multi-cultural
and pluralistic view of the world. The globalization process gave
the artists the chance to ponder their own locality and culture.
Moreover, the intertextual and synchronic viewpoint of postmodern
theories has prompted new art forms like pastiche and appropriation.
As a result, the younger generation of British artists in the 80s
found the cultural condition where art practices were no longer required
to have authenticity, historicity and theoretical grounding. The
social and cultural conditions to which this generation of British
artists belonged, can be described as ‘…the advanced
capitalist countries today are now a field of stylistic and discursive
heterogeneity without a norm.’ as Fredric Jameson has stated
in Postmodernism: Cultural Logic of Late Capitalism (Jameson,
2003:17). In the chapter I, I will investigate the situation of the
art world in the 1980s in relation to the conditions of capitalism
and its consequent symptoms at that time, which must have influenced
the artists of the YBA phenomenon.
Nevertheless, these artists did not confine themselves in this condition,
rather they found the threshold to explore new possibilities such
as a new perspective of virtuality beyond the spectacle and the embrace
of public culture. This unique approach created new kinds of visual
languages of hybrid characteristics and asserted the artist’s
individuality by engaging with the contemporary culture through mass-media.
Ultimately it shaped a new paradigm of contemporary art which distinguished
itself from the preceding art practices in terms of recovering the
singularity of an artist and the aura of art. To delimit this innovative
attitude of YBA, I want to examine the philosophy of the present,
which was proposed by an Italian philosopher, Mario Perniola in Enigmas:
The Egyptian Moment in Society and Art in the chapter II. According
to his explanation, the main trait of this philosophy is the close
link with reality. I think that YBA contributed to a paradigm shift
in contemporary art by embracing the positive attitude of this philosophy
and dealing with the reality of the present situation. I will
also include Mario Perniola’s discussion about the issue of
paradigm changes in contemporary art in Art and Its Shadow in
this chapter
Finally studying the rationale of Young British Art phenomenon will
inform the methodology to solve the current dilemma of Korean art
world where Korean contemporary artists need to break through the
current stagnant condition and find the direction to create a new
paradigm. Most of all I believe that learning YBA’s attitude
of ‘present-ness’ will help Korean artists understand
the reality of the situation in Korea and regain the connection with
the lives of Korean people and society. Chapter III will analyze
the situation in the Korean art field, and the final chapter will
include in a proposal of an exhibition which will reflect the methodology
that I will learn from the case of Young British Art, but will be
adapted to the Korean circumstances.
Presentations and exhibitions
Byulchungi, An Exhibition of
Contemporary Korean Artists, Paek Sang Memorial Hall Gallery, Seoul,
Korea: December, 2004.
Looking Inside: Contemporary Portrait Photography
in Korea, Paek Sang Memorial Hall Gallery, Seoul, Korea: April, 2004.
Standing Points: 9 Contemporary Korean Photographers, Paek Sang Memorial
Hall Gallery, Seoul, Korea: December, 2003.
Professional activities
Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea: The Graduate School of Art and Design, Visual Art Studies Department- Lecturer, September, 2003– June, 2005; a graduate course on “International Exhibitions and Art Market”: study the structure and constituents of the art market in New York as well as its dynamics; practice estimating the “fair market value” and understand the principle and characteristics of art dealings; examine the history and management of art organizations inHong Ik University, Seoul, Korea: The Graduate School of Fine Arts, Art Planning Department- Lecturer, September, 2002–June, 2005; a graduate course on “Art Market”: examine the structure and various constituents of the art market as well as its dynamics; practice estimating the “fair market value” and understand the principle and characteristics of art dealings; examine the history and management of art galleries and auction houses to learn the knowledge and skills about advanced art management; analyze the issues and the problems in the present art market structure in Korea and seek for the ways to develop the Korean art market and enhance the art management system in Korea.
Hong Ik University, Seoul, Korea: The Graduate School, Photography Department- Lecturer, September 2003–December, 2004; a graduate course on “Planning a Photography Exhibition”: understand the curatorial practices of contemporary photography and the viewpoints and jobs of curators and professional artists; practice all the process of an exhibition planning from concept development and artist research to PR and display; explore the eyes of students both as a professional and as public to distinguish original photographers and innovative trends in the contemporary photography field and provide an opportunity to look at themselves and their work objectively.
David Findlay Jr Fine Art, New York, NY: Assistant Director, August, 1999-June, 2001; curate group shows including 14 Contemporary Realist: Works on Paper, June 2000; develop marketing strategies to promote the gallery and the artists represented, supervise and manage gallery inventory; assist in sales and client management, maintain and update computer software; handle bookkeeping and accounting from October 2000 to May 2001.
Professional development
Photonet , Photo and Art Magazine, Seoul, Korea: Special Correspondent for London, January, 2006-Present; write articles about British artists and photographers, introduce regional exhibitions and British art scene.Paek Sang Memorial Hall Gallery, Seoul, Korea: Art Consultant, July 2002-present; advise on curatorial responsibilities such as artists research and exhibition planning.
Soldae Inc., Exhibition and Event Planning, Seoul, Korea: Art Consultant, July 2003-November, 2004; assist in arranging an international exhibition and its management. Project - British Museum, “Treasures from the World Cultures”
Selected publications
“Gillian Wearing ,” A Series of Contemporary British Artists. Photonet. Seoul, Korea: Nov. issue, 2006.“Richard Billingham,” A Series of Contemporary British Artists. Photonet. Seoul, Korea: Sep. issue, 2006.
“Darren Almond,” A Series of Contemporary British Artists. Photonet. Seoul, Korea: May issue, 2006.
“Wayne Schoenfeld,” An Exhibition Review. Photone. Seoul, Korea: April issue, 2005.