JIK JI – The Golden Seed

Curating and Directing

–    2016. 9.1 – 2016. 9. 8

–    Title Exhibition for 1st Jikji Korea International Festival

–    Location: Cheongju Cultural Centre, Korea

–    Curating and directing

–    Organised by: Cheongju-si / Cheongju Jikji Korea

–    Sponsored by: SONY, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Nonghyup

–    Artists: Sangsoo Ahn, Leenam Lee, Junghwa Choi, Bien-U Bae, Moonassi, Jian Kwon, Suhee Kim, Notion Architecture, Hanuk Jung, Youngil Shin, Hyukyoung Um, Kwangho Lee, Mimi Joung, Minjeong Guem, Kyungtack Hong, Inho Lim, Sangjin Kim, Sang Un Jeon, Seung Ae Lee, Kyudong Jung, Hyeyoung Koo, Brigitte Stepputtis, Burcu Yağcıoğlu, Dario Bartolini, Gina Czarnecki, Jeremy Bailey,
Jürgen Dünhofen, Marshmallow Laser Feast, Miao Xiaochun, Phil Dobson, Ron Arad, Ryoichi Kurokawa, Semiconductor, Shona Kitchen, William Kentridge

Jikji is the title of the oldest known book to be printed using movable metal type. It is a Korean Buddhist document of Zen teaching made in Cheongju in 1377. Jikji, the Golden Seed was an exhibition celebrating this event and was curated by Stephanie Seungmin Kim. The impact of the printed word on the world were interpreted by diverse disciplines. Exhibits ranging from fragile 600-year old cultural artefacts to a 60-degree virtual reality film, and from highly crafted work made from thousands of ceramic pieces spelling the word ‘seed’ in the Hangul (Korean) alphabet to a DNA portrait created on the glass from human cells.

The exhibition brings together 41 contemporary artists, architects and designers from 11 countries, each of whom is critically engaged with the idea of innovation and many of whom have produced new work for the occasion.  The chief curator Stephanie Seungmin Kim devised the EI of the Festival to, and worked with Ab Rogers Design to and place the exhibition over 2000 square feet, to provide an immersive experience that traversed time and space.