Seoul: A faceless human figure -- its face replaced by a gaping black void -- wanders across a barren landscape, surrounded by an endless void. It moves as if unaware of itself and its surroundings, or perhaps with the tentative curiosity of an infant exploring the world for the first time.
According to Yonhap News Agency, this haunting video work titled "Liminal" by French contemporary artist Pierre Huyghe is featured in his first exhibition in Asia at the Leeum Museum of Art. The exhibition includes 12 works from the past decade, showcasing Huyghe's unique exploration of human existence through metaphysical and contemplative approaches.
Kim Sung-won, deputy director of Leeum, addressed the complexities of Huyghe's work during a press conference, emphasizing that while the theme of human existence is not particularly difficult, the artist's approach might make it feel unusual. The exhibition is sponsored in partnership with the Italian luxury fashion house Bottega Veneta, which facilitated three new works showcased at Punta della Dogana during last year's Venice Biennale.
The artist, renowned for his interest in transitory and unpredictable states, presents "Liminal" as an evolving experiment. The museum explained that "Liminal" is informed by data gathered in real time through sensors in the exhibition hall, making it a dynamic piece characterized by uncertainty and ambiguity.
Visitors to the exhibition will also encounter two other new works: "Idiom," which features a real-time voice generated by artificial intelligence conveyed through a golden LED mask, and "Camata," a self-directed film shot in Chile's Atacama Desert, continuously edited by AI. Additionally, the artist's acclaimed video "Untitled (Human Mask)" will be on display, depicting a monkey donning a human mask and wig, wandering an abandoned restaurant in a post-disaster setting.
While Pierre Huyghe was scheduled to attend the press event, he was absent due to health issues, as noted by Leeum. The exhibition is set to open Thursday and will run through July 6.