Meekyoung Shin - Translation    Nov 19 - Dec 19, 2009

Meekyung Shin’s work is about the process of transference and re-coding of shapes and iconographies across cultures through time and space. Ever since she moved to London in early 90s, she has been concerned with the issues of re-contextualization, which is addressed in her work in the exploration of the shifting contexts of cultural artifacts when they are removed from their original setting, resulting in their ‘translation’ between East and West, past and present, and old and new. She has also sought to re-interpret the values and meanings of museum artifacts. This interest is expressed using material of soap. For Shin, soap is a material to create surrogates which she refers to as ghosts of the originals. Quality of soap that erodes and finally disintegrates suggests passage of time. The transient nature of soap reveals the value of an artifact in a paradoxical manner.

This exhibition titled Translation brings together some 40 artworks, beginning with sculptures that fabricate Frieze sculptures of Greek temples from the Archaic period. Four of the Greek Archaic sculptures on view were previously installed outdoors for a period of time. The other works are colored. Because the original coloring is unknown, Shin’s reinterpreted coloring makes them original. The exhibition also includes a soap statuette placed in the toilet which becomes worn down through public usage and afterwards exhibited in galleries like historical artifacts. Translation – Vase series is also a significant part of this exhibition since it is a quintessential reference of export ware that represents cultural mistranslation incurred during trade between East and West. Shin’s vases are both her replicas and authentic works.

Through the Translation series, the artist does not seek perfect and complete sculptural forms of the originals. Her sculptures relate temporality and spatiality as their ongoing processes result in unique creation and provenance.

Born in 1967, Meekyung Shin completed her BA and MFA from Seoul National University and obtained her MFA from Slade School of Fine Arts in London. She is currently working in both Seoul and London. Her work has been shown various solo and group exhibitions in Korea and abroad. Select exhibitions include a solo show at Mongin Art Center in 2004, and special project exhibition at The British Museum in 2007. Shin’s works are collected by Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Milton Keynes Theatre, U.K., and Sungkok Museum.