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This project is a process that forms and actualizes the artistic imagination of “The Cosmic Race.”
www.dopaplusproject.comThrough this project, three artists, an architect, a curator and critics from Korea and Mexico share their own interpretations of convergence and transformation of cultures. Each person’s reference for imagination and interpretation stems from different sources, such as the element of Budhist doctrine and shifting building footprints of the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Korea. The main concept, “Cosmic Race” comes from the book, La raza cósmica written in 1925 by Jose Vasconcelos, a Mexican philosopher, politician, and an educator.
Vasconcelos’s “raza cósmica” refers to the majority race of Latin America, Meztizo, which translates to transcendental being. He saw that the Meztizo, born of an Indigenous and an European heritage, transcends the existing race classification and represents a superior agglomeration of races that overcome conflicts and division. Although it is hard to see eye to eye with his theory today that hints at racial superiority, we examine the intriguing questions that he raises regarding the futuristic perspectives of the agglomeration of races.
Vasconcelos' essay derives from the collision of two opposite cultures; the ruling class and the subordinate class, the indigenous culture and the foreign culture. The essay contains his vision of a universal culture, where various cultures merge. He argues for cultural assimilation, an agglomeration beyond the biological dimension. Ironically, in his process of pursuing racial hybridity, the various boundaries and borders inherent in the tumultuous modernization of Mexico were revealed. We took interest in this point of confusion and conflict that hybrid cultures have rather created. We use Vasconcelos’s concept of cosmic race as a channel to re-assess the problems we face today.
A team of six artists, architect, writer and curator exhibit the complexity of “Cosmic Race“ throughout the exhibition. There will be opportunities for performances and gatherings where various perspectives of “race”, “universality”, “exclusivity”, and “autonomy” will be shared. The aim of this project is not simply to juxtapose the colonial histories that non-western countries experience. Instead, it aims to transcend the locality of art in both Korea and Mexico by imagining the cosmic existence and envisioning how art can operate in a cosmic society.
Text by Goeun Choi
Dec.7, 2020 - Jan.10, 2021
@ Palacio de La Autonomia, Mexico City
@ dopaplusproject.com
Artists : Haevan Lee, Minseok Chi, Ji Yoon Ahn, Daniel Monroy Cuevas
Curated by : Goeun Choi
Text by : Goeun Choi, Rubén Romero, Elizabeth Medina Taboada
Hosted by : DOPA
Supported by : Arts Council Korea
Design by : Jaeha Kim (Arctic Works)
Translated by : Rubén Romero, Minseok Chi (Spanish-English) / Ji Yoon Ahn (Korean-English)
Photo by : Sergio Lopez Diablo
Administration Advisor : Jihae Choi
The cosmic race : Cactusian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cmThe cosmic race : Cactusian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cmThe cosmic race : Grapian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cm
The cosmic race : Amondian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cm
The cosmic race : Sunflowerian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cmThe cosmic race : Melocatusian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cmThe cosmic race : Sansevierian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cmThe cosmic race : Mirabilis jalapan
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cmThe cosmic race : Venus fly trapian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cmThe cosmic race : Rambutanian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cmThe cosmic race : Marigoldian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cm
The cosmic race : Bromeliadian
2020
Oil on canvas with frame
43 x 33 cm Research note
우주적 인종은 인간과 자연의 관계에 대한 상상인물들을 그려낸 회화작업이다. 각기 다른 나라에서 태어나고 자란 예술분야에 종사하는 주변인물들의 초상화들를 그렸다. 인물과 그들이 가장 좋아하는 식물을 결합하여 또 다른 인종을 만들어 낸다. 이 과정들을 통해 일종의 정복일 수도, 결합, 공생일 수도 있는 자연과의 관계를 그려본다
The cosmic race is a portrait painting series that depicts imaginary characters about the relationship between humans and nature. She drew portraits of people who were born and raised in different countries and work in the art scene. It combines characters and their favorite plants to create another race. Through these processes, She tries to express a relationship with nature that can be a kind of conquest, union, or symbiosis.The Cosmic Race
text by Haevan
여정중, 그녀를 처음 만났고, 축축한 안개 냄새가 나는 그녀를 처음 만났을 때는 그녀가 여성인지 남성인지 구분을 하기 어려웠다. 시간이 흐른 지금까지도 나는 그녀에게 그녀의 성별을 묻지는 않았지만, 그녀의 조금 튀어 나온 가슴과 그간의 대화들로 나는 그녀를 여성과 더 가깝다고 생각하기로 했다.
During the journey, I met her for the first time. It smelled like thick fog when I met her and I couldn't tell whether she was a woman or a man. Even now, after some time has passed, I have yet to ask about her gender. From the few conversations we had and the slight silhouette of her breasts, I see her as more of a woman.
그녀와 나는 다른 모국어를 가지고 있어 온전한 소통은 어려웠지만 서로에 대한 호기심으로 늘 소통하려고 시도했다. 그녀는 늘 자신이 냉소적이며 비판적이라고 말하지만, 늘 매번 농담을 하며, 유쾌한 분위기를 만든다. 그러다 자신의 농담에 부끄러움을 느낄때마다 머리에 달린 열매가 반짝거리며 흔들거린다. 어느날은 열매들이 흔들거리다 얼굴까지 열매색으로 물들더니, 얼굴에서 주황빛 과즙이 흘러나왔다. 그녀가 민망할까봐 나는 아무렇지 않은척 했다. 그 사이에 그녀의 왼쪽 귀 뒷쪽에는 작은 열매가 또 자라있었다.
We speak different native languages so it was challenging to fully communicate at first but we always stay curious about the things that the other person had to say. She describes herself to be cynical and critical but always makes jokes and lightens up the mood. And whenever she is shy of her jokes, the fruits on her head twinkles and shakes. One day the fruits vibrated and dyed her face in the fruits’ color and orange color juice dripped off her face. I didn't say anything so that she wouldn't be embarrassed. In the meantime, another little fruit had grown behind her left ear.
그녀는 매일 아침, 자신의 몸에 달린 탱글탱글하고 싱싱한 열매를 먹는다. 입안에서 과즙이 톡 터지면서 혀끝에서 주체할 수 없는 액이 흘러 나와 혀의 난 돌기들이 깊숙히 잠긴다. 머리 위로 풍성한 잎들이 들이 파르르 떨린다. 동시에 모든 것들이 목구멍으로 넘어가 모든 장기가 그 영양분을 느끼고 흡수한다. 그녀는 희열을 느낀다.
Every morning, she eats the plump and fresh fruit on her body. The juice pops in her mouth and from the tip of her tongue, fluid gushes out and seeps deep into the bumps of her tongue. The leaves on her head trembles. At the same time, all of what was there gets swallowed and the organs feel and absorb the nutrients. She feels euphoria.
그녀는 온전한 채식주의자는 아니지만, 주로 채식을 선호한다. 그녀가 고기보다 채식을 선호하는 이유로는 다음과 같은 몇 가지 있다. (1) 왠지 덜 폭력적이라는 생각이 든다. 그녀는 빨갛게 피가 차오른 생고기를 볼때마다, 모든 폭력적인 장면들이 함께 떠오른다. (2) 모든 인류가 함께 살아가기 위한 방법이다. 육류를 생산하기 위해선 땅, 물, 일, 식량 등이 너무 많이 필요한데, 이 한정된 자원에서 수십억명의 모든 인류가 고기를 먹을 수는 없다. 이 육식산업은 사회주의와 같이 결합할 수 없는 구조이다. 누군가는 굶주리고 있을테고, 만약 많은 사람들이 고기 대신 채소를 먹는다면 모든 사람들이 굶지 않을 수 있을 것이다. (3) 주변엔 너무 많은 선택사항이 있다. 레스토랑에 가면 있는 여러메뉴들 중에 하나를 선택하기란 여간 골치아픈 일이 아니다. 고기와 관련된 메뉴들은 단지 선택사항을 줄일 수 있어, 편리하다.
(4) 육체적으로는 고기를 먹을때면 많이 씹어야하기 때문에 약한 치아를 가진 그녀는 고기를 먹을때마다 불편함을 느낀다. (5) 몸이 가볍고 더 건강해짐을 느낀다.
아주 가끔이지만, 선택지가 없이 맛있어보이는 고기가 들어간 메뉴만 있는 상황에서는 맛을 보고 싶은 욕구를 느끼고 이내 조금 맛보곤 한다
She is not fully vegetarian, but she usually prefers vegetarianism. There are several reasons why she prefers vegetables to meat:
(1) It somehow seems less violent. Whenever she sees raw meat filled with blood, she is reminded of the violent scenes. (2) It is how mankind can live together. We need too much land, water, work, and food to produce meat and in this limited resource, billions of humanity cannot all eat meat. The meat industry is a structure that cannot be combined with socialism. Someone is always starving, and if many people eat vegetables instead of meat, there will be those who won't have to starve. (3) There are too many options around us. It is a pain in the neck to choose from the various menus at the restaurant. It is easier after eliminating menus with meat. (4) It requires a lot of chewing to digest meat but because she has weak teeth, she feels a lot of discomfort. (5) She feels lighter and healthier. On a very rare occasion that she sees meat that looks very delicious, she feels the urge to try it and sometimes does.
그녀가 사랑하는 열매의 뿌리들은 머리쪽부터 몸속의 모든 혈관으로 계속해서 자라나며, 그녀의 모든 장기로 서서히 뻗어나간다.
The roots of her beloved fruit continue to grow from the head to the blood vessels in her body and then slowly spread to all her organs.
어느날 그녀는 자신이 찍은 사진을 인쇄하며 종이를 넘기다 네번째 손가락을 베었다. 얇은 상처를 일부러 벌려 그 상처에 하얗게 반들거리는 뿌리를 끄집어 냈다. 그녀는 그 뿌리를 돌돌말아 실반지처럼 손가락에 묶었다. 나중에 나에게 와서는 상처를 보여주며, 결혼반지 같지 않냐며 오늘 프로포즈 받은 날이라며 웃으며 농담을 하였다. 열매들은 반짝거리며 흔들거린다.
One day, she cut her ring finger while turning the pages of the pictures she was printing. She opened the wound and pulled out the white glimmering roots. She wrapped the roots around her finger like a ring. Later, she showed me the cut and asked me if it looked like a wedding band and made a joke that she was proposed to today. Her fruits twinkle and flicker.
연말이 되어 오랜만에 만난 그녀는 이전보다 많이 헬쓱해져있었다. 몸에 달린 열매의 양도 많이 줄었다. 그녀의 몸 안에 뿌리들은 얇고 마른 피부에 비쳐 그녀를 더 창백해 보이게 하였다. 그녀에게 진하게 풍겼던 안개 냄새 또한 약해져 있었다. 그녀는 이별의 선물이라며 자신의 열매 하나와 직접 쓴 카드를 나에게 건넸다.
I met her again at the end of the year and she looked much more frail than before. The lean roots showed through her thin and dry skin and made her look more pale. Even the rich smell of thick fog that used to radiate from her was barely there. She gave me one of her fruits and a handwritten letter as a parting gift.