LOS ANGELES -- The division of Korea, a consequence of a hasty decision made by two junior U.S. military officers in August 1945, continues to resonate deeply with Koreans both on the peninsula and around the world. This historical split is a focal point in Haegue Yang's latest exhibition, Star-Crossed Rendezvous, currently on display at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
The exhibit features two striking installations of Venetian blinds. One, titled "Sol LeWitt Upside Down - K123456, Expanded 1078 Times, Doubled and Mirrored" (2015), draws inspiration from the works of American Minimalist Sol LeWitt. This installation showcases clusters of white blinds that hang from the ceiling in a stalactite formation, mirrored and inverted to encourage viewers to explore themes of duality and contrast--light and shadow, silence and sound, movement and stillness.
Yang's other installation, "Star-Crossed Rendezvous after Yun" (2024), serves as a poignant reflection on themes of separation and the yearning for reunification. It pays homage to the life and work of composer Isang Yun (1917-1995), who faced persecution by the South Korean government for his beliefs. This piece is inspired by Yun's "Double Concerto" (1977), which intertwines a Korean fairy tale about two star-crossed lovers, symbolizing the longing for unity amidst division.
The installation features a grand assembly of colored Venetian blinds, with projections synchronized to Yun's composition illuminating the structure. The interplay of light and shadow evokes the dispersal of Koreans globally post-division, while the arrangement of colors reflects the geometry of constellations. The artwork ascends to the ceiling, representing a bridge that, unlike the fairy tale, does not descend to reunite the lovers, leaving viewers with a sense of unresolved desire.
Yang, who divides her time between Seoul and Berlin, captures the historical asymmetries between these two cities in her work. Notably, the blinds in her installation are left partially open, signifying the potential for boundaries to be transformed or dismantled in the future.
Star-Crossed Rendezvous remains on view at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles until August 2, organized by assistant curator Paula Kroll and chief curator Clara Kim.
