Abu Dhabi: Held under the patronage of H.H. Sheikha Shamsa bint Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, wife of H.H. Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler's Representative in the Al Dhafra Region, the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) announced the launch of Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits - Contemporary Art from Korea, 1960s to Today, a groundbreaking exhibition showcasing the evolution of Korea's avant-garde contemporary art scene.
According to Emirates News Agency, the exhibition will take place at Manarat Al Saadiyat from 16 May to 30 June 2025. It marks a historic first large-scale showcase of Korean contemporary art in the GCC region and is the inaugural project in a major three-year collaboration between ADMAF and SeMA.
Co-curated by SeMA's Kyung-hwan Yeo and Curator Maya El Khalil, the exhibition features 48 works by 29 Korean artists. It includes pioneers such as Nam June Paik and Park Hyunki, as well as contemporary figures like Lee Bul, Haegue Yang, Ayoung Kim, and Moka Lee. Drawing its title from Nam June Paik's visionary phrase 'We Are in Open Circuits,' the exhibition explores medium as a system of communication that traverses time, technology, geography, and identity.
The works, many of which are being shown in the UAE for the first time, span six decades and chart Korea's artistic responses to social and technological change. From early experimentation with video, photography, and performance in the 1960s and 70s to today's immersive installations and digital simulations, the exhibition invites audiences to explore how media shapes perception, memory, and connection.
The exhibition traces the evolution of Korea's contemporary art from its radical beginnings to its current dynamic expressions, reflecting shifting identities and cultural narratives. Early works reveal a search for self amid societal transformation, while later pieces engage with sensory experiences, presence and absence, and the role of tools and media in expanding perception. As the exhibition unfolds, artists delve into cultural memory, collective identity, and the complexities of the digital age.
The exhibition will be accompanied by Layered Dialogues, a publication featuring texts by UAE-based writers, deepening cultural exchange between Korea and the UAE. The spatial design by Formafantasma reinforces the exhibition's conceptual framework through material storytelling and architectural sensitivity. A dynamic public program of panel talks, screenings, and performances will further enrich the visitor experience.
Additionally, a series of panel discussions and artist film screenings are part of the wider public program, with full details to be shared online in due course. This exhibition is part of a long-term institutional collaboration between ADMAF and SeMA, aimed at fostering cultural dialogue between the UAE and South Korea. Following its Abu Dhabi debut, a second co-curated exhibition, Intense Proximities, will open at SeMA in Seoul in December 2025, featuring three generations of UAE-based artists.