Cyber - Addiction, Bong Jung Kim
Bongjung Kim: Cyber - Addiction
Curator: Thalia Vrachopoulos
Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete
Opening: Saturday, May 30th 2015, 19:30
Twin Building, Bastion of Agios Nikolaos-Fortezza
The Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete proudly presents the solo exhibition Bongjung Kim: Cyber - Addiction, curated by New York based Dr, Thalia Vrachopoulos. The show runs from May 2- September 26th, 2015, with an opening reception on May 30th, at 19:30 pm at the Twin Building, Bastion of Agios Nikolaos – Fortezza, Crete Museum of Art, Rethymnon.
About the solo exhibition BongJung Kim: Cyber - Addiction, Thalia Vrachopoulos writes:
BongJung Kim’s painting installations evidence his interest in the phenomenon of cyber addiction. Internet addiction disorder or IAD, has to do with impulse control that in today’s world is more and more common. Thus, Kim’s interest in depicting IAD stems from his focus of investigation within the arts. Just as many use the internet to help overcome stress, Kim reflects upon it by painting the subject, in itself an obsession. The preoccupation that appears as internet gaming, shopping, or cybersex addictions is very harmful to the individual and the family unit at times leading to financial problems, a lowered production, interaction with family, intimate partners or friends. With the decentralization inherent in globalism and the split of the family unit, as well as, the provision by internet sources of constantly changing entertainment and information, IAD is an understandable occurrence.
Kim paints natural forms like flowers, overlain by broken computer parts. The facts that the digital machinery lie on the surface of the painting in key spots broken and dysfunctional, clarify Kim’s feelings about a computerized world. In Kim’s paintings we see the flowers outlined through computer wires while broken pieces of computers dot his backgrounds. His colors are red, black and white and reference the poppy flower that itself produces the addictive substance opium. Kim scatters the broken computer parts over the central part of the poppy pistils as if saying that this is the most dangerous place of the flower from which the opium is distilled. Whereas the body of the flower is red, the pistils are black which Kim chooses to combine with the scattered computer parts.
In his paintings, Kim shows the Papaver Somniferum that is a plant of rare beauty and healing powers but also of contraindications. In Kim’s case the poppy is the perfect metaphor for computer addiction but also to connote his own addiction to art. Like all interesting things it has dualistic and multiple characteristics that are both good and bad. Opium for medicinal use has been known to cure insomnia, shock and injury, and to lessen the paralysis from a stroke, as well as to rid the body of tremors or convulsions due to delirium tremens. On the other hand, it can be addictive when taken in excess. This is a similar thing to a computer obsession that can overwhelm the individual making him loose himself within a cyber-world too huge to navigate yet too interesting to leave. But, by bringing our attention to the issue, Kim’s art helps us remain connected to the offline world of culture, participation and experience. It acts like cognitive behavioral therapy in which we are given step by step directions in finding real life support and reconnecting while being comfortable with the real world rather than getting lost in space.
The night of the opening a solo performance will take place from Dimitris Sideris. A combination of the traditional and the contemporary electric sound as a meeting-place of the old and the new music references.
The show is organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete in collaboration with the Ephorate of Antiquities of Rethymnon.
The exhibition will run through September 26th, 2015.
Free entrance.
Opening hours:
Daily: 10:00 - 15:00
Mondays: Closed
Communication:
Museum of Contemporary Art of Crete
Rethymnon Municipal Enterprise (Κ.Ε.ΔΗ.Ρ.)
Mesologgiou 32, 74 100 Rethymnon
Τ: +30 28310 52530, F: +30 28310 52689
info@cca.gr • cca.gr
tvrachopoulos@gmail.com
