The Korean Art Exhibit at the Houston MFA

There was a contemporary art exhibit at the Houston MFA recently in January. When you first walked into the building you saw large scale screen prints the size of their walls, upon turning around you saw two large projector screens. Scripts were projected onto these screens and it was the art of thought, was how I first began to interpret the work.

The left screen and the right screen were corresponding with each other. One would play a script of words and the other would reply back. Immediately I got the feeling that these two screens were discussing roles within a relationship. The left screen was very serious and dramatic from the text that was read from it. The left screen questioned itself and I started to think it was insecure and suspicious of it’s relationship with the right screen. The right screen was laid back and flirtatious with it’s words, saying things like “Hey babe let’s play”.

Two roles were being presented by these screens and throughout the eleven minute piece these roles were slowly being traded and inverted as the left screen began to take on a more superficial attitude and the right screen starting to talk more seriously.

The left screen would begin to contradict itself proving that it’s belief in it’s views were just as unpredictable as the right screens attempts to “play act”. And as part of the audience it was hard to look away because the screens were so large, it felt as though the loomed over you and I was compelled to keep watching the drama play out. I believe it was one of the first pieces of solid contemporary art that clearly identified itself. It was enthralling to be a participant in it’s installation.