The Milky Way might look like this, if seen from up close. Bahk Seon-Ghi’s work, which looks as if numerous pieces of crystal are scattered throughout the air, welcomes visitors with its splendid beauty from the 79th floor of LOTTE World Tower, the entry to SIGNIEL SEOUL. Created using hundreds of acrylic beads and invisible nylon thread, it is a work in which numerous individual objects come together to form a single coherent shape, allowing for natural movement and flow of light in the process. The nylon thread, no less important than the main material used for the work, is intricately woven together not only as a means to hang and support the beads, but to interact with them and breathe life into the space. Moreover, they communicate to the viewer that the beads are not simply suspended in space, but are fixed in their proper positions in a solid structure. As the title of the work implies, the “aggregation” of numerous individual pieces in harmony with the surrounding space offers a glimpse into the artist’s long-standing contemplation regarding relationships.

An installation artist and a pioneer of Asian contemporary art, Bahk Seon-Ghi is currently one of the most prominent contemporary artists in Korea. His work takes many forms, from installations featuring materials such as charcoal, stone, or acrylic beads hung from invisible wires, to sculptures that make use of painting techniques and perspective. He earned recognition first in Europe, including Italy, when he was invited as a student to special Arsenale exhibitions in Venice. In 2005, he was named “Artist of the Year” by the Kim Chong Yung Museum, one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on a Korean sculptor. In 2006, he received the Kim Chong Yung Sculpture Award, garnering even more attention. An artist who has consistently ruminated on the themes of past and present, reality and illusion, and how they relate to one another, through his hanging installations that express both Eastern and Western sensibilities, Bahk continues to present his work internationally in critically acclaimed collections.