The installation view of the exhibition, Courtesy of Seojeong Art
From November 23 to December 29, 2024, Seojeong Art in Busan presents The Observers, a joint exhibition featuring South Korean artist Jo Moo Hyun (b. 1998) and South African-British artist Gus Monday (b. 2000). This collaborative showcase includes 14 works, with 12 newly created pieces, spanning paintings, drawings, and sculptures. The exhibition delves into the act of observation, exploring how individual perspectives can reconstruct reality and uncover deeper truths.
Jo Moo Hyun’s work is rooted in exploring the unseen structures and meanings beyond visible surfaces. Known for his meticulous deconstruction of everyday objects, particularly automobiles, Jo uses the interplay between external appearances and inner mechanisms to question the paradox of perception. His works highlight the "volumetric presence" hidden beneath a car's sleek surface—an invisible yet tangible force that fosters user trust. By reimagining these relationships through his paintings and sculptures, Jo reveals the symbolic dimensions of ordinary objects, prompting viewers to reconsider their interactions with the material world.
Untitled (Rear), 2023, Aluminum profile, car rear door component. acrylic pannel 5t, bolt, nut, profile bracket, 106 x 106 x 56 cm, Courtesy of Seojeong Art
Gus Monday, in contrast, navigates the sociocultural and historical codes embedded within ordinary spaces. Having grown up between South Africa and the UK, Monday integrates his personal experiences with broader contexts, employing his acute observational skills to decode the narratives embedded in physical environments. His works juxtapose stylistic elements evoking both modernity and nostalgia, offering a layered interpretation of past and present. The exhibition marks the South Korean debut of Monday’s Study and Sketch series, which transcends preparatory studies to embody a continuous process of recording and reconstructing reality. These works underscore Monday’s role as an observer, capturing the intricate interplay between individuals and their surroundings.
The exhibition takes inspiration from Michel Foucault’s seminal text, Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison (1975). In his work, Foucault suggests that an observer is not merely a controller of subjects but a seeker of possibilities. Similarly, The Observers expands the act of observation beyond passive viewing, transforming it into an inquiry into the multi-layered meanings hidden within the observed. Both artists use their works to frame observation as a tool for discovery and transformation, inviting the audience to engage actively with the artworks.
GUS MONDAY, Study for The Pitti Palace, 2024. Oil on linen and panel, 60 x 30 cm, Courtesy of Seojeong Art
Jo’s focus on the symbolic interior and Monday’s interrogation of spatial narratives together create a dynamic dialogue. While Jo’s sculptures and paintings reveal the paradoxical relationship between external surfaces and inner depths, Monday’s contextual explorations blur the boundaries between personal and collective histories. Together, their works prompt viewers to question their roles as observers and participants in shaping reality.
In particular, Jo’s dual self-portraits—one from his debut exhibition in 1999 and the other a contemporary piece—serve as a dialogue between past and present selves, challenging perceptions of identity and time. Meanwhile, Monday’s evocative Sketch series brings to light the intimate moments of observation and creation, bridging the analytical and the intuitive.
MOOHYUN JO, untitled, 2024, Acrylic and paper on canvas, 53 x 45.5 cm, Courtesy of Seojeong Art
Through their distinct yet complementary practices, Jo and Monday underscore the transformative potential of observation. Visitors to The Observers will find themselves drawn into a process of intuitive engagement and analytical reflection, offering a richer understanding of both the art and their roles as participants in the act of seeing.
The exhibition runs until January 5, 2025, and invites viewers to join the artists on a journey of discovery, where observation becomes both a means and an end in unraveling the complexities of the visible and invisible world.
Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com
The installation view of the exhibition, Courtesy of Seojeong Art
From November 23 to December 29, 2024, Seojeong Art in Busan presents The Observers, a joint exhibition featuring South Korean artist Jo Moo Hyun (b. 1998) and South African-British artist Gus Monday (b. 2000). This collaborative showcase includes 14 works, with 12 newly created pieces, spanning paintings, drawings, and sculptures. The exhibition delves into the act of observation, exploring how individual perspectives can reconstruct reality and uncover deeper truths.
Jo Moo Hyun’s work is rooted in exploring the unseen structures and meanings beyond visible surfaces. Known for his meticulous deconstruction of everyday objects, particularly automobiles, Jo uses the interplay between external appearances and inner mechanisms to question the paradox of perception. His works highlight the "volumetric presence" hidden beneath a car's sleek surface—an invisible yet tangible force that fosters user trust. By reimagining these relationships through his paintings and sculptures, Jo reveals the symbolic dimensions of ordinary objects, prompting viewers to reconsider their interactions with the material world.
Untitled (Rear), 2023, Aluminum profile, car rear door component. acrylic pannel 5t, bolt, nut, profile bracket, 106 x 106 x 56 cm, Courtesy of Seojeong Art
Gus Monday, in contrast, navigates the sociocultural and historical codes embedded within ordinary spaces. Having grown up between South Africa and the UK, Monday integrates his personal experiences with broader contexts, employing his acute observational skills to decode the narratives embedded in physical environments. His works juxtapose stylistic elements evoking both modernity and nostalgia, offering a layered interpretation of past and present. The exhibition marks the South Korean debut of Monday’s Study and Sketch series, which transcends preparatory studies to embody a continuous process of recording and reconstructing reality. These works underscore Monday’s role as an observer, capturing the intricate interplay between individuals and their surroundings.
The exhibition takes inspiration from Michel Foucault’s seminal text, Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison (1975). In his work, Foucault suggests that an observer is not merely a controller of subjects but a seeker of possibilities. Similarly, The Observers expands the act of observation beyond passive viewing, transforming it into an inquiry into the multi-layered meanings hidden within the observed. Both artists use their works to frame observation as a tool for discovery and transformation, inviting the audience to engage actively with the artworks.
GUS MONDAY, Study for The Pitti Palace, 2024. Oil on linen and panel, 60 x 30 cm, Courtesy of Seojeong Art
Jo’s focus on the symbolic interior and Monday’s interrogation of spatial narratives together create a dynamic dialogue. While Jo’s sculptures and paintings reveal the paradoxical relationship between external surfaces and inner depths, Monday’s contextual explorations blur the boundaries between personal and collective histories. Together, their works prompt viewers to question their roles as observers and participants in shaping reality.
In particular, Jo’s dual self-portraits—one from his debut exhibition in 1999 and the other a contemporary piece—serve as a dialogue between past and present selves, challenging perceptions of identity and time. Meanwhile, Monday’s evocative Sketch series brings to light the intimate moments of observation and creation, bridging the analytical and the intuitive.
MOOHYUN JO, untitled, 2024, Acrylic and paper on canvas, 53 x 45.5 cm, Courtesy of Seojeong Art
Through their distinct yet complementary practices, Jo and Monday underscore the transformative potential of observation. Visitors to The Observers will find themselves drawn into a process of intuitive engagement and analytical reflection, offering a richer understanding of both the art and their roles as participants in the act of seeing.
The exhibition runs until January 5, 2025, and invites viewers to join the artists on a journey of discovery, where observation becomes both a means and an end in unraveling the complexities of the visible and invisible world.
