Raphaëlle de
Groot, Between Hands - Tangling Knots, 2025, Performance ©Busan
Museum of Contemporary ArtTen Fingers》 through
September 7. This exhibition is the final stage of a project, aimed at
enhancing accessibility in museum movement.
Rather than considering accessibility as a
mere physical convenience, the museum defines it as the "unique
experiences of bodies" and began the two-year journey to explore the
sensory functions of the bodies. Last year, Busan MoCA held six workshops
exploring ‘seeing, touching, and hearing’, examining the fluidity of bodily
senses and exploring the creative potential of sensory transfer. Through this
process, the museum sought the experiences of disabilities, interacted with
diverse individuals learning from one another.
This year, building on these experiences,
Busan MoCA presents 《Seeing with Ten Fingers》. Featuring the works of 20 multidisciplinary artists from Korea and
abroad, the exhibition showcases over 70 synesthetic works. As the title
metaphorically suggests — ten fingers as two eyes — the exhibition explores how
our senses are not fixed instead, can change according to bodily conditions and
circumstances. It aims to dismantle the hierarchy of senses, transcends the
boundaries of disable and non-disable, and explores new sensory and existential
possibilities.
Installation view
of 《Seeing with Ten Fingers》 ©Busan
Museum of Contemporary ArtThe exhibition has three sub-themes:
Ten Thousand Senses explores the possibilities of transcending established norms by
understanding the complexity and diversity of the world through senses, that
are often considered lacked or marginalized.
The Expanded Body examines the concept of the body as it transforms through
connections between humans, non-humans, and tools, and explores the value
generated within the networks of diverse bodies.
The Hybrids
is inspired by Donna Haraway's theory, which calls for kinship within all life
forms on Earth. Therefore, it attempts to establish horizontal relationship,
that goes beyond the boundaries of disable, non-disable, and species.
Installation view of 《Seeing with Ten Fingers》 ©Busan Museum of Contemporary Art
The exhibition goes beyond formal
barrier-free measure, and focuses on experimenting practical accessibility.
Half of the participating artists present works utilizing the sense of touch, a
synesthetic viewing space called the “Sensory Station” is set up in the gallery
and sign language, audio descriptions, as well as tactile materials are
provided. Exhibition explanations are presented in a webtoon format, and
customized-targeted tours are also arranged.
Throughout this project, Busan MoCA has
contemplated the meaning of the museum, owns as a space, and what kind of
experiences it should provide. This final-stage, exhibition, offers glimpses
and reflections on these questions.
Participating
Artists: Kim
Doki, Kim Eunseol, Oum Jeongsoon, Cho Youngjoo, Hong Bomi, SEOM: (Eom Yeseul,
SEO Hanie), Kim Chaelin, Laumkon (Jee Song, Qrater), Lyla(Rhee Suyoun), Jung
Yeondoo, Missionit (Kim Byungsu) Diane Borsato, Raphaëlle de Groot, Robert
Morris, Emilie Louise Gossiaux, Carmen Papalia, Finnegan Shannon, Remi
Klemensiewicz
