30 Aug 2010

Nuclear Power Plant Site-Specific Project: 'Earth-Water-Fire-Air' by Kimsooja

NPPAP-Yeonggwang 2010
(Nuclear Power Plant Art Project- Yeonggwang 2010)
Earth-Water-Fire-Air
by Kimsooja

Dates: Sept 5 – Sep 19, 2010
Venue: Breakwater at Nuclear Power Plant in Yeonggwang, Korea
Organization: National Museum of Contemporary Art Korea
www.nppap.or.kr

National Museum of Contemporary Art Korea is pleased to announce official opening of Nuclear Power Plant Art Project in Yeonggwang and its first commissioned site-specific installation entitled, Earth-Water-Fire -Air by Kimsooja. This project is the power plant’s first of the public art project series organized to transform the city of Yeonggwang into the place where man and the nature; energy and technology converge. World’s renowned artists are scheduled to create site-specific installations that deal with the nature and energy around the nuclear power station. Utilizing 1,192 meter long, 8 meter wide boardwalk on the breakwater toward a lighthouse at the end, this project marks first of many hand-in-hand efforts by power plants and artists as venues is extended to other nuclear power plants including the ones in Uljin, Gori, Wolsung, etc.  

For the first of the series, Kimsooja’s six channel video installation from Earth-Water-Fire-Air on going project is selected and will be projected every night onto the screens; each of them are spaced approximately 200 meters apart along the water break. The main concept of the series is created based on four fundamental elements of nature: Earth - Water - Fire - Air constantly interrelate to one another as they continue to merge, transform and extinct while organically embrace and exclude to one another. Video footages taken in Lanzarote Island and Guatemalan volcanoes are featured as the artist’s visual manifestation of nirvana in which each four basic elements reincarnate; burning lava flow became rocks and dust that blew in the air. Titles of each videos, Fire of Earth, Water of Earth, Earth of Water, Air of Fire , Air of Earth, Air of Water, Fire of Air, Water of Air support such interchanging idea that characteristics of one element is created by the other elements that is related to eastern philosophy, such as Zen Buddhism and Taoism. The artist questions the nuclear power energy as a tool that has two sides of blade revealing the power of yin and yang energy that recreate both productive and destructive energy. This project challenges us to relocate to our origin and to contemplate the peaceful and productive use of the natural energy for the only earth we live on.

Project credits
This project is organized and hosted by the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea and Membership Society of the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea. Organizers thank to sponsors: Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power & Hanjin Shipping for their generous support in realizing the project.

Related Events
Press Conference 31. August , 2010, Tuesday
Opening Reception September 3, 2010 at 6:00 p.m. at Nuclear Power Plant in Yeonggwang
Evening Projections Everyday from September 3 thru September 17, 2010
Site Visit Transportation to the venue is available on 3rd and 4th of September.
And please note following:  Due to high security measure applies at the nuclear power site, all visitors are subjected to confirmation with personal information provided by the visitor prior to the visit.
For reservation, call +82-2-536-7195 and +82-10-8748-0679  or email curator@kanarts.com    

Media Contact
For additional information, images, or to request an interview, please contact our media partner,
KAN
e.mail. curator@kanarts.com
tel. 82- 10- 8748- 0679

Artist website.
www.kimsooja.com