Eunsil Lee, Recombination,
2025, Colors and ink on Korean paper, 65 x 43.5 cm (paper), 144 x 47.2 cm (silk
scroll), 56 x 13(d) cm (paper cylinder), ©Eunsil Lee and UBP. Photo: Euirock LeeUNBOXING PROJECT (UBP) will present 《Message》, a group exhibition featuring newly commissioned pieces by
twenty-two prominent Korean contemporary artists. Curated by Hyunjoo Byeon and
Minjin Chae, the exhibition will be on view from 20 March to 12 April at the
historic König Telegraphenamt in Berlin, a former hub of telecommunication.
Since its inception in 2022, the UBP has
invited audiences to discover the unique potential of small-sized artworks. In
contrast to grand and spectacular artworks that often evoke admiration from
afar, these intimate works foster a profound connection, inspiring empathy,
reflection, and enduring impact. For each edition, the participating artists
are challenged to encapsulate the essence of their practice in compact yet
conceptually expansive frameworks, specifically tailored to the project’s
themes.
Jongwan Jang, Don’t Cry Silly, 2025, Ink,
acrylic gouache on canvas, colored pencil on paper cylinder, 65 x 43.5 cm
(canvas), 144 x 47.2 cm (silk scroll), 56 x 13(d) cm (paper cylinder) ©Jongwan
Jan and UBP. Photo: Euirock LeeIn this fifth edition and second overseas
exhibition, 《Message》, the UBP
takes inspiration from its extensive history of the Telegraphenamt.
For this exhibition, participating artists
were commissioned to create new works by placing reinterpretations of
traditional scrolls in a contemporary context inside cylindrical boxes inspired
by the pneumatic mail cases once used in the telegraph office. Artists consider
how their works operate within these histories of transmission, exploring the
ways messages in art are conveyed, interpreted, and reinterpreted across
different contexts.
In particular, the exhibition reinterprets
traditional East Asian painting techniques in a contemporary context by
mounting 65 × 43.5 cm canvases onto scrolls, which serve as the exhibition’s
given format. By placing these scrolls inside cylindrical boxes—reminiscent of
those once used for delivering messages—the exhibition provided participating
artists with conceptual inspiration on how messages can transcend the
limitations of time, space, and technology.
Kyungah Ham,
Reflecting on Change, Loss and Anxiety They Bring, 2025,
2021 Bourgogne red wine, 2017 Napa Valley red wine, more red wine, collage with
North Korean hand embroidery, acrylic on linen and silk, 65 x 43.5 cm (canvas),
144 x 47.2 cm (silk scroll), 56 x 13(d) cm (paper cylinder). ©Kyungah Ham, UBP, and Kukje Gallery, Seoul. Photo:
Euirock LeeAs a result, the 22 newly commissioned
works in this exhibition encapsulate the diverse perspectives and artistic
visions of the participating artists, reenacting a form of artistic
communication that transcends time. Many of the works convey conceptual and
abstract messages that are difficult to express through language. By exploring
the evolving nature of communication over time, they propose artistic exchanges
and messages that transcend temporal and spatial boundaries.
Participating Artists: Jisan Ahn, Kyuchul Ahn, Yoonhee Choi, Kyungah Ham, Jongwan Jang,
JungJin, Jiyoung Keem, Suyoung Kim, Eunsil Lee, Leehaiminsun, Maia Ruth Lee,
Seulgi Lee, Nosik Lim, Sungsic Moon, Joung-ki Min, Grim Park, Gwangsoo Park,
Jina Park, Rim Park, Yaerim Ryu, Neung Kyung Sung, Yun-hee Toh
