KOREA FOUNDATION

Korean Experimental Art to Make International Debut at the Guggenheim

From September 1, 2023, to January 7, 2024, Korea’s experimental art will make its international debut at an exhibition taking place at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, with the KF’s support. The exhibition, titled Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s–1970s was jointly organized by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) and the Guggenheim Museum.

This exhibition marks the first time that Korean experimental art is shown internationally at a collective exhibition. Divided into six sections, it presents 99 works of 29 major artists and 31 pieces from the archives while shedding light on the diverse themes and genres present in the avant-garde experimental art launched by young Korean artists in the 1960s and 1970s. It also reflects the sociocultural conditions of Korea after the Korean War and the subsequent influence it had on artistic movements at the time. This exhibition is expected to serve as a meaningful foundation for the study of Korean experimental art through its catalogues—in both Korean and English—that provide information related to the exhibits, including research papers, critical essays, and manifestos.

From February 2024, following the Guggenheim presentation, the exhibition will travel to the Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, thereby offering art lovers on both coasts of the US a wonderful opportunity to appreciate Korean experimental art. Before its arrival at the Guggenheim, Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s-1970s was presented at the MMCA during the summer of 2023.

Only the Young: Experimental Art in Korea, 1960s–1970sexhibitionNew YorkGuggenheim MuseumNational Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, KoreaMMCAHammer Museum