KOO JEONG A

In Levitation, Koo invites visitors to explore an alternate space beyond the reality we know, through works that establishloose yet intimate and nonlinear relationships. The exhibition revolves around the motif ‘OUSSS,’ which has recurred inKoo’s work since the 1990s and continues to expand. ‘OUSSS’ is an enigmatic universe created by the artist—a word, amorpheme, a substance, and an energy all at once. The foetal creature often appearing in this cosmos traverses the darkness,conveying mischievous humour and strange sensations with gestures that surpass human-like qualities. It guides us into therealm of universal mystery (MYSTERIOUSSS), curiosity (CURIOSSSA), and true me & I (CHAMNAWANA).

The artist presented a 3D film about ‘OUSSS,’ a project she had been working on for nine years, at Paris+ par Art Basel in2022. In this exhibition, OBP (2015), which served as a script for the film, is being showcased for the first time. At the endof the series, where familiar concepts are deconstructed, expanded, exploded, and released, a new work titled SS Gakchal(2023) emerges, signifying ‘quickly recognising other people’s minds or signs of work’ in Korean. Such word play is arecurrent theme in her artistic practice, seen in instances like FLAMMARIOUSSS (2006), a collaborative publication withauthor and philosopher Édouard Glissant (1928–2011), focused on the Flammarion French dictionary. In this version, Koorewrote the dictionary and simply added the word and the definition of ‘OUSSS’. A limited-edition book is placed alongsidea poster in honour of Glissant.

Meanwhile, the ‘Seven Stars’ series, which illuminated the entire gallery space in 2020, has transformed into paintings ofmidday and twilight that are visible in daylight. ‘Seven Stars’ relates to the classical planets (Moon, Mercury, Venus, TheSun, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn) based on astrology, alchemy, and mysticism. While the series released three years agofeatured paintings that revealed their figures only at night, utilising the light energy accumulated during the day, the currentworks capture a manifestation of space, the world, and the universe from a broader perspective. On Earth, humans canperceive bright colours through oxygen particles; plants sprout or bloom in response to light; and gravity causes straightlyradiating light to bend to curvature. The series represents how such occurrences on Earth are not irrelevant to the activitiesof the planets beyond.

Another prominent work in the show is Density (2023), captivating the audience with its three-dimensional structure thatdefies gravity. Originating as a daily drawing series between 2005 and 2006, and later evolving into an Augmented Realityartwork in 2019, Density has now been reborn as a floating sculpture, employing the properties of both attracting andrepelling magnets. This concept is intricately linked to the NOMOS Alpha (2016) drawings displayed in the annex. Whilethese images might appear reminiscent of sketches drawn during a brief nap, they constitute a complex realm ofintertwining facts, fiction, psychological impulses, and whimsy. Koo’s diverse compositions interact and create an ensemblethat evokes wonder through unexpected encounters and discoveries.

With the belief that ‘nothing is merely ordinary,’ Koo consistently awakens the poetic aspects of the everyday life by usingcommon materials that are easily scattered and intervening in familiar spaces in unconventional ways. Her practice involvesnavigating the open realm of possibilities within the cognitive domain, oscillating between conflicting concepts such asinvisible and visible, imaginary and real, and absence and presence. Selected as the representative artist for the SouthKorean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale next year, Koo envisions transforming the pavilion into a ‘Fragrance Travel to Korea’ space, aligned with the theme of ODORAMA CITIES. The artist aims to sketch an intangible map of the Korean Peninsulawith the audience, offering a unique olfactory exploration.

Living and working across various locations worldwide, Koo has achieved international acclaim through solo exhibitions atthe Centre Pompidou (Paris, France), Dia: Beacon (New York, USA), Kunsthalle Düsseldorf (Düsseldorf, Germany), ModernaMuseet (Stockholm, Sweden), Foundation Beyeler (Riehen, Switzerland), and Art Sonje Center (Seoul, Korea). She alsoparticipated in various group shows, including Venice Biennale, São Paulo Biennale, Gwangju Biennale, Solomon R.Guggenheim Museum (New York, USA), Tate Modern (London, UK), Louis Vuitton Foundation (Paris, France), MartinGropius-Bau (Berlin, Germany), Mori Art Museum (Tokyo, Japan), LUMA Arles, Parc des Ateliers (Arles, France), Museum ofModern and Contempoary Art, Gwacheon (Gwacheon, Korea), and Leeum Museum of Art (Seoul, Korea). Koo was a finalistfor the Hugo Boss Prize in 2002, won the Hermes Foundation Missulsang in 2005, and received the honor of being namedthe ‘2016 Artist of the Year’ by the Korean Cultural Centre UK. She is currently preparing for her upcoming solo exhibitionat the Aspen Art Museum in the United States.