Gala Porras-Kim Is Having Simultaneous Exhibitions At Two Of Korea’s Leading Museums

Korea Artist Prize 2023 (올해의 작가상)

For the first time, the Korea Artist Prize included Gala Porras-Kim, an overseas Korean artist, among the four sponsored artists. Her works capture the movements of Korean dancers and shadows in video art, and visualize the souls of human remains dating back to the first century at the National Gwangju Museum, demonstrating the identity of a Korean-descendent artist.

Oct. 20, 2023 – Mar. 31, 2024 National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea

The annual “Korea Artist Prize”, which began in 2012, is an important annual exhibition of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art and a prestigious award system representing the contemporary art scene in Korea. Through the dialogue between judges and artists scheduled for February 2024, it is hoped that the Artist of the Year award will function not just as a simple award system but as a platform where Korean contemporary art meets the international art scene.

National Treasure (국보)

In this exhibition, she explores how the ever-changing list of national treasures reflects national identity and how we define the selection of historical records. The Leeum Museum, adept at juxtaposing traditional and contemporary art, extends its expertise in this exhibition.

Oct. 31, 2023 – Mar. 31, 2024 Leeum Museum

The Leeum Museum presents a free exhibition by Gala Porras-Kim, exploring the intersection between ancient artifacts and contemporary frameworks. This exhibition consists of three new pieces based on Korean cultural heritage and ten national treasures held by the museum.

Gala Porras-Kim has investigated the relationship between artifacts and institutional frameworks, including museum collection management systems and national cultural heritage legislation, based on research. She examines the structure of museums through the classification and cataloging system of collections, the premise of artifact preservation, and the presentation of artworks.

Working Between LA And London, Gala Porras-Kim Stated In An Interview With Vogue Korea:

“I was greatly influenced by my Korean mother, who studied Mexican colonial literature, and my Colombian father, a historian. Since I was young, my parents often talked about history and literature, which naturally found its way into my artwork. My father often took me to museums, where we played many games. These enjoyable experiences made me comfortable with cultural institutions and made me feel familiar and understanding towards the people who create and manage information. It also instilled in me the quality of pursuing knowledge through continuous questioning. I have always had an interest in Korea and consider myself lucky to have a warm family.”

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