GROUP EXHIBITION

The exhibition title is inspired by Philosophy of the Tourist (2017) by the Japanese philosopher Azuma Hiroki (b. 1971). In this work, Azuma describes contemporary society as a ‘two-layered’ structure in which globalism and nationalism coexist. He defines the ‘tourist’ as a subject untethered to a particular nation or origin, who is constantly in motion and open to opportunity. This concept of the tourist is similar to Jacques Derrida’s (1930–2004) idea of ‘misdelivery’ in The Post Card (1987). This concept suggests that truth and identity are not achieved by following a set path, but are continually redefined through detours, errors, and moments of displacement.

The seven artists participating in The Tourists reveal complex trajectories that are not confined by birthplace or nationality. Bao Vuong (b. 1978, Vietnam) moved to France as a child and grew up there. He now works between Vietnam, France, and Belgium. His practice traces movements that transcend nationality, exploring themes such as the sea, exile, and memory. Lin Fanglu (b. 1989, China) was born in Dalian in northeast China and learned textile techniques from artisans in the southwest. She has lived in Beijing, Karlsruhe, and Tokyo, and now resides in Shanghai, developing a visual language that bridges tradition and modernity, locality and globality. Lee Hyungkoo (b. 1969, South Korea) began exploring otherness and bodily transformation during his studies in the United States. His work oscillates between physiognomy and anatomy, scientific experimentation and comic invention, navigating the boundary between reality and imagination. Kim Sunwoo (b. 1988, South Korea) grew up in Seoul, yet his practice centres on the dodo, a bird once native to Mauritius. The dodo becomes a metaphor for dreams and freedom, extending the artist’s world beyond locality to a universal dimension. Cooper (b. 1992, USA) has mainly worked in Indiana. He gained recognition through Instagram and debuted in London. His career exemplifies how social media can shape artistic subjectivity beyond nationality. Alice Herbst (b. 1993, Sweden) moved frequently during childhood, experiences that shaped her sense of identity. She uses online platforms to access international opportunities, has lectured at Ferrari Design Studio, and is represented in Italy’s Maramotti Collection. Eleanor Johnson (b. 1994, UK) was born in the United Kingdom. Her early encounters with classical painting and sculpture in Italy and France, together with formative experiences at London’s National Gallery, have informed her visual foundation. Drawing on techniques learned through close study of traditions from Rubens to Matisse, her work reimagines the classical in dialogue with contemporary imagery.

The seven artists have developed their practices through journeys that span childhood memories, study abroad, migration, residencies, and digital interaction. The exhibition invites us to see them as ‘tourists’, honouring the diverse experiences and identities shaped through artistic practice.

The works in the exhibition are not bound to a single origin. Through movement, misinterpretation, and reinterpretation, new meanings are continually generated, and visitors encounter them as ‘tourists’, thereby taking part in this ongoing process. The works are akin to letters from disparate backgrounds, which never reach a predetermined destination. Some evoke an unexpected sense of familiarity, while others leave the viewer with a trace of strangeness and ambiguity. Within this space of difference and incompleteness, new interpretations and relationships arise. The Tourists offers an experience of chance encounters and subtle connections, revealing moments in which disparate worlds intersect and converge, leaving impressions that endure long after the exhibition.