Young-jun Tak in his practice examines the socio-political, cultural, and psychological mechanisms that shape belief systems, ranging from simple objects of worship to sophisticated forms of religion. He aims to dissolve fossilized visual codes found in, for example, religious icons, propaganda tools, protest materials, and gender symbols. In his sculpture, installation, and video work, corporeality and bodies are often exposed within the context of polarizing norms and conventions, and he pursues obfuscation between media, techniques, and subject matter as a tool of critique.
Education
2015 BA, English Language and Literature, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, KR
2015 BA, Cross-Cultural Studies, Sungkyunkwan University, Seoul, KR
Solo Exhibitions
2026 Young-jun Tak: #157 Videoart at Midnight, Babylon, Berlin, DE
2026 Young-jun Tak: Film Screenings, The Polygon Gallery, Vancouver, CA
2025 Young-jun Tak, Galerie Nordenhake ― Salon Kant., Berlin, DE
2025 Twelve, Twelve, Twelve, Conceptual Fine Arts, Milan, IT
2025 Love Your Clean Feet on Thursday, palace enterprise, Copenhagen, DK
2025 Raise, Luis Adelantado, Valencia, ES
2024 Pain Is Left After the Bite, PHILIPPZOLLINGER, Zurich, CH
2024 I need to switch myself, COMA, Sydney, AU
2023 Love Your Clean Feet on Thursday, Atelier Hermes, Seoul, KR
2023 Double Feature: Young-jun Tak, Julia Stoschek Foundation, Dusseldorf, Berlin, DE
2023 Street Religion, palace enterprise, Copenhagen, DK
2023 Wish You a Lovely Sunday, Wanas Konst, Knislinge, SE
2023 Doubt, O ― Overgaden, Copenhagen, DK
2022 Wohin?, Efremidis, Berlin, DE
2022 Der Garten, SOX, Berlin, DE
2021 Wish You a Lovely Sunday, Fragment × Center Stage, Moscow, RU
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026 Breathing, Seo-Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, KR
2026 Spectrosynthesis Seoul, Art Sonje Center, Seoul, KR
2025 14th Taipei Biennial, Taipei, TW
2025 8th Singapore Biennale, Singapore, SG
2025 Open Air Filmscreening, KINDL ― Center for Contemporary Art, Berlin, DE
2025 The Unruly Dance of Form, Fragment, New York, US
2024 24th SONGEUN Art Award, SONGEUN, Seoul, KR
2024 History will say we were best friends, Podium, Hong Kong, HK
2024 4th Bangkok Art Biennale, Bangkok, TH
2024 3rd St.Moritz Art Film Festival, St.Moritz, CH
2024 Hovering, Capsule, Venice, IT
2023 5th Chicago Architecture Biennial, Chicago, US
2023 Dancing About Architecture, The High Line, New York, US
2022 16th Lyon Biennale, Lyon, FR
2022 Finger Bang, Perrotin, Paris, FR
2021 It’s Just a Phase, Kjøpmannsgata Ung Kunst, Trondheim, NO
2021 9th Berlin Masters, Berlin, DE
2020 11th Berlin Biennale, Berlin, DE
2020 PRO-TEST, Seoul Museum of Art, SeMA Bunker, Seoul, KR
2018 Schrein der Freundschaft, Brandenburgischer Kunstverein, Potsdam, DE
2018 A Strong Desire, PS120, Berlin, DE
2017 15th Istanbul Biennale, Istanbul, TR
2016 The Others, Konig Galerie, Berlin, DE
Awards and Grants
2026 “Three Years Supporting Program”, Arts Council Korea, Naju, KR
2025 “Experimental Filmforderung”, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Potsdam, DE
2024 Winner of “Grand Prize”, 24th SONGEUN Art Award, SONGEUN Art and Cultural Foundation, Seoul, KR
2024 13th VISIO European Programme on Visual Artists’ Moving Images, Florence, IT
2024 Winner of “Love at First Sight Prize”, 3rd St.Moritz Art Film Festival, St.Moritz, CH
2024 “Short Film Co-Production”, Norwegian Film Institute, Oslo, NO
2024 “Co-Production Documentary”, Østnorsk filmsenter, Lillehammer, NO
2023 “Experimental Filmforderung”, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Potsdam, DE
2023 “NEUSTARTplus-Stipendium”, Stiftung Kunstfonds, Bonn, DE
2021 Winner of “TOY Berlin Masters Award”, Berlin Masters Foundation, Burger Collection, Hong Kong, HK
2021 “International Exchange Program for Young Artists”, Arts Council Korea, Naju, KR
2020 “International Exchange Program”, Arts Council Korea, Naju, KR
2016 “International Exchange Program”, Arts Council Korea, Naju, KR
Collection
Ann and Marshall Webb Collection
Burger Collection
Julia Stoschek Collection
Laurent Fievet Collection
Parkseobo Foundation
Servais Family Collection
Seoul Museum of Art
SONGEUN
Sunpride Foundation among others
