The Vienna Secession is delighted to host the major group exhibition Forms of the Shadow; curated by Sunjung Kim, Artistic Director of the Art Sonje Center in Seoul. The exhibition casts light on contemporary shadows unveiled by the global pandemic, the climate crisis, and geopolitical tensions. Through this thematic lens, it invites viewers to reflect upon the interconnectedness of our world and the complexities of navigating through turbulent times. By shedding light on the ever-shifting nature of shadows and their metaphorical significance in witnessing the passage of time, the exhibition prompts reflection on the intricate layers of human existence.

The works on view in Forms of the Shadow are distributed across three groups. The first features a diverse range of artistic expressions that explore geopolitical tensions, notably focusing on the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Further on, the challenges and connections inherent within wider temporal and intellectual landscapes are examined in works which probe historical and geographical sutures, such as those between East and West, as well as between fin-de-siècle Habsburg and modern-day Vienna.

While this first group of works embodies a melancholic sense of hope for the future, subsequent groupings uncover further tragic or uncomfortable truths about life and death – not just physical death, but social and metaphorical death as well.

Spread across both the Secession and the nearby Korean Cultural Centre, the final group is dedicated to the concept of nature reclaiming areas once disturbed by human intervention – this is especially evident in the DMZ, which has remained inaccessible for over 70 years. Contrasting with the human-dominated spaces elsewhere in the show, this section focuses on the way in which plants and animals have been able to retake territories that have, for a variety of reasons, become uninhabitable by humans.

Forms of the Shadow offers nuanced insights into the resilience of nature amidst human intervention as well as the enduring pursuit of hope among adversity. Sculptures, paintings, embroideries, and performances invite viewers to immerse themselves in a sensory journey that delves deep into the intricate layers of human experience, revealing the perpetual dance between light and shadow that defines our collective travels on this planet.

Programmed by the board of the Secession

Curated by Sunjung Kim (Guest curator)

About Sunjung Kim: 

Sunjung Kim is currently the artistic director of Art Sonje Center in Seoul (2022–), the chair of ICOM Republic of Korea (2023–), and a board member of ICOM ASPAC (International Council of Museums Asia-Pacific Alliance). She was the president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation (2017–2021), director of Art Sonje Center (2016–2017), the artistic director of ACC Archive & Research at the Asia Art Culture Center (2014–2015), and chief curator and deputy director (1993–2004) of Art Sonje Center. Additionally, she is the founder and artistic director of the REAL DMZ PROJECT, an art and research project designed to cross the boundaries of the museum and launched in 2011 to explore the (in)visible borders of the Demilitarized Zone through the critical lens of art and to raise awareness about the division of Korea. She recently curated Do Ho Suh’s Speculations at the Art Sonje Center.