Helen Johnson

The biological and economic constraints imposed by social distancing and border blockades have exposed the fragility of our lives. The reality of today, when people are isolated and undergo irreversible changes, and interest in community and caring is rising, we acknowledge the uncertain foundation we have laid on and rethink the value of interdependence and learning to overcome it.

“Rediscovering the Path UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA”, jointly curated by the Seoul Museum of Art, Art Space, and Sydney, is an exhibition that uses 'learning', the institutional agenda of the Seoul Museum of Art for 2021, as the main attitude and method of planning. 'Learning', which includes the process of de-learning and re-learning by erasing or re-learning what has been learned, does not stop at acquiring completed or fixed knowledge, but is a continuous process of exploring new paths with an open mind, expanding and awakening our awareness. means. It is also a proposal to listen to diverse voices and explore new ways of thinking that inspire understanding and respect for one another.

 The exhibition invites 35 artists/teams, including Australian artists, collectives and indigenous arts centers, from one of the Asia-Pacific regions to provide a broad perspective on Australian contemporary art practice across generations. By rethinking the images that come to mind when thinking of Australia, and breaking away from fixed perspectives, we propose to think in multiple layers, following the complex cultural, social, and political trends that make up Australian art and society. Their diverse voices provide a language against standardized knowledge systems, forms of self-expression and representation, ultimately providing an opportunity to reexamine the concepts of privilege, power and domination that operate beyond Australia as a nation and region. 

The exhibition title, written in Korean and English, is also the result of translating the process of interdependent learning beyond literal expressions. The phrase 'research the route' is a frequently encountered expression in navigation equipment that uses GPS. This expression, which implies numerous routes to reach the destination, is combined with the English title 'UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA', meaning that our learning does not require even a destination, and more importantly, the practice itself. 

Rather than presenting a specific topic or fixed path of viewing, the exhibition suggests a potential entry point into Australia. This exhibition, which intersects thoughts and methods such as sovereignty and self-determination, history engraved in places that lead to the past, present and future, sharing of knowledge and hearing in the community, diversity and antagonism, humor and subversion, creates an organically connected network. and create a variety of routes to experience Australia. It proposes an open ending rather than a pre-planned narrative, and expects you to explore your own path and encounter the complexity and status quo of Australian society.

Various public programs and online platforms are also waiting for you. Richard Bell's Embassy program, which has been held all over the world since 2013, meets the contemporary situation in Korea and proposes a newly interpreted program, and Agatha Goth-Snape's Each activity, such as the reading performance Lion's Honey and Matthew Griffin's Contemporarial, which attempts accidental and intentional contact with various people, invites participants from different backgrounds and cultures to engage in intersecting conversations, Through this, we want to reveal parallel trajectories, intersections and contradictions in both Australia and Korea. In addition, participating artists, collectives, and art centers will present new digital commission works made up of images, video, text and audio on the Instagram account '52 ARTIST 52 ACTIONS' (@52artists52actions). It is hoped that this will provide another route to connect with artists beyond geographical limits.

《Rediscovering the Route UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA》 was started as a project to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Australia. The exchange of thoughts shared during the preparation of the exhibition laid the groundwork for self-reflection and critical thinking about things we thought we knew or were ignorant of. The works presented in the exhibition also remind us of the importance of a community that encompasses generations, cultures, races and genders, and mutual learning among them. It is hoped that the dialogue sparked by this exhibition will not only provide a variety of perspectives to consider Australia's original aspects, but also provide an opportunity to connect it with the Korean context or diverse audiences. We hope that this re-exploitation will help us step out of our ruts and help us recognize and understand who we are and what we want to be.