This is a professional headshot of a person with short hair posing towards the camera. They have bright pink and yellow nails.
Heinkuhn OH (Korean, born 1963), Jungle, Aug 4, 2016, 2016, from the series Left face (2006–present), archival pigment print. Courtesy of the artist.

The Shape of Time: Korean Art after 1989

The Shape of Time: Korean Art after 1989

March 23, 2024 - June 23, 2024
Target Galleries
General Admission $20; Contributor Member+ Free (additional tickets $16); Youth 17 and under Free

This exhibition features the first generation of artists of Korean descent to experience the new freedoms and rapid changes ushered in by democracy. Born between 1960 and 1986, they came of age in a time of transition, their work filtered through the collective memory of authoritarian rule in South Korea. Here, they reflect on social and political tensions, economic and cultural shifts. In often monumental works, they bring viewers to the border with North Korea, illuminate the ironies of globalization, and suggest what has been gained and lost in South Korea’s ascendance.

Organized by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, this is the first major showing of Korean contemporary art in the United States since 2009. Many of the artists are well known in South Korea or have an international following; others may be less familiar, especially in American museums. They mold the medium to their message, whether photography or painting, ceramics or video. They honor some traditions and resist others. They bend time and place, addressing the past, present and future to make sense of their complex experiences.

 

 

The Shape of Time Audio Guide

Hear from artists, curators, and exhibition organizers as they guide you through the exhibition and discuss the context and themes surrounding the artworks. Bring your own device and headphones to listen along in the galleries.

The Shape of Time Teachers Guide

Use this guide to facilitate conversations in your classroom before a museum tour or between chaperones and students on self-guided visits.

The Shape of Time Tours

Free Public Tours
Public tours take place at 2 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday, and 7 p.m. on Thursday. An exhibition ticket is required. No public or private tours are offered on Member Days and during Art in Bloom. The last public tour is on June 16.

Free Virtual Tours
Virtual tours take place on April 7 at 2 PM, May 8 at 2 PM, and June 6 at 7 PM. An exhibition ticket is not necessary. Registration is required.

Heinkuhn OH (Korean, born 1963), Jungle, Aug 4, 2016, 2016, from the series Left face (2006–present), archival pigment print. Courtesy of the artist.