Since 2000, the ‘Seoul International Media Art Biennale’, also known as ‘Mediacity’ has been hosting the event every two years. So far, Mediacity has been introducing new and exciting interdisciplinary practices of media art, drawing on influences of contemporary science, philosophy, and new technology. Now reaching the 7th edition, the biennale aims to show a multitude of interests that captivates the world of contemporary media art today.
The 7th Seoul International Media Art Biennale will open from 11th September ~ 4th November 2012. The theme of this year’s biennale is ‘Spell on You’. This proposes to imagine a vision for a new world and society in two ways. On the one hand, it will show how the recent production of new technology and social media is generating various renewals in social communication and exchange. On the other hand, it aims to reinterpret art and technology in an attempt to re-envision our future, and find alternative ways of living. Against this background, this exhibition will highlight the notion of a ‘Spell’ to convey active and direct modes of communication. It is hope that ‘Mediacity’ can bring an illuminating insight into the current dynamic shifts in contemporary art and technology.
‘Spell on You’ brings together works by approximately fifty artists from all over the world. Jinsang Yoo is the artistic director of the 7th Seoul International Media Art Biennale, and he will be joined by three renowned curators of contemporary media art; Yukiko Shikata (Independent curator based in Tokyo), Olof van Winden (Director of Netherlands Media Art Institute, NIMk), and Dooeun Choi (Former Creative Director of Art Center Nabi/ Co-curator of The Zero1 festival at San Jose).

About Mediacity Seoul 2012 “Spell on You”
‘Spell on You’ proposes to explore the overpowering influence of a spell, encapsulated in the song ‘I Put a Spell on You’ by Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, an American blues singer and songwriter. This exhibition will question the wider technological means of utilizing the media in the 21st century, and expose the current social and political contexts in which the recent phenomena of Social Networking Services such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube have globally surfaced the Internet. The exhibition brings together new and recent works by approximately fifty international artists from all over the world.


□ Seoul Museum of Art
1F Media Theatre : Everything Will Be Alright
The entry to the exhibition on level one begins with 'Memoire', a video piece by Adel Abdessemed. This part of the exhibition introduces the scope media, and narrates stories of conflict and confrontation, crisis and challenge, voyeurism and spontaneity. In an attempt to make sense of contemporary media and technology, a variety of works unravel the overwhelming spell of technology through critical as well as poetic visual interpretations.

2F Thousand Spells : On Transmigration of Unknown Friends
Social networking websites such as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube drastically changed the world that we live in today. Technological advancements led to the mass distribution of information and opinions, which instigated a new kind of democracy as well as economic instability.

3F Crosstalking : Invisible but 'Hello'
The exhibition on level three elucidates how contemporary art productions aim to go beyond the purpose of showcasing new technology. Instead, they explore human empathy in order to escape from feeling invisible, which has become a normative part of modern life. It can be said that the notion of ‘invisibility’ manifests from the overwhelming sense of being subsumed by technique, which leads to fear and alienation.

DMC Gallery
Patterns of Cloud : Getting to Know What The World Feels
The technology of data collection and analysis began from military technology, which moved on to develop applications that enabled private conversations and emotional exchanges. As a result, better communication and network systems are creating more room for exchanges. At the same time, the capital and authority of technology increasingly risks being intrusive to our own private spaces.


□ Participating Artists
Adel Abdessemed, Marina Abramovi？, Romy Achituv, Zbyn？k Baladran, Bang&Lee, Maurice Benayoun, blablabLAB, David Bowen, Jae-eun Choi, David Claerbout, dNA(doubleNegatives Architecture), everyware, exonemo, Dennis Feser, NinaFischer&MaroanelSani, Dominic Gagnon, Haque Design + Research, Jonathan Harris & Sep Kamvar, Jenny Holzer, Hong Seung-Hye, HONG Sungmin, HYBE(Hive for Hybrid Environment), Ryoji Ikeda, Yeondoo Jung, Floris Kaayk, So Kanno & Takahiro Yamaguchi, JK Keller, Jeong Han Kim & BiKE Lab., Kichul Kim, Kim, Won Hwa, Aaron Koblin&Chris Milk, Donghee Koo, Ryota Kuwakubo, Robert Lepage&Sarah Kenderdine&Jeffrey Shaw, Alessandro Ludovico & Paolo Cirio, Eric Maillet, Daito Manabe & Motoi Ishibashi, Nathaniel Mellors, Seiko Mikami, Joon Y. Moon, NMARA(ZuneLee, Kenny Kyungmi Kim), Till Nowak, Robert Overweg, Jon Satrom, Gordan Savi？i？ & Bengt Sjolen, Jens Wunderling, Ji-Hyun Yoon & Taiyun Kim, Akram Zaatari, Zimoun

Exhibition Tour in English : Tuesdays ~ Sundays (15:00 hr)
No Exhibition Tour Services : 29th Sept. ~ 1st Oct. (Korean New Year Holidays)

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