The LA Times explores Korean art at LACMA:
“Your Bright Future: 12 Contemporary Artists From Korea.” It’s the creation of Lynn Zelevansky, head of contemporary art at LACMA, and Christine Starkman, curator of Asian art at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, where the show will be presented next.
After several trips to Korea, the team has fashioned a highly selective exhibition intended to shine a strong light on a region that is usually in the art world’s shadows. And for many American viewers, there is much to learn — starting with the catchy, equivocal title. […]
LACMA, which has collected traditional Korean art for years, now claims to have the most comprehensive holding outside of Korea and Japan. “Your Bright Future” coincides with an enlargement of the museum’s Korean galleries, expected to open in the fall. The exhibition is accompanied by community programming that includes public talks with some of the participants.
For all the artists, commanding a large space at the Los Angeles museum is a high-visibility opportunity. But acceptance of the offer wasn’t necessarily automatic.
Zelevansky readily admits that she encountered “a fair amount of resistance” from artists under consideration for the exhibition. “Lee Bul, who is very famous, is not in the show and that was her choice,” the curator says. “She is the one artist who refused, but a lot of others express real reservations. They don’t want to be pigeon-holed.
‘Your Bright Future’ Spotlights Korean Artists at LACMA (LA Times)
