Geumhyung Jeong's First Italian Solo Show Opens in Modena

Geumhyung Jeong (Seoul, 1980) presents her first solo exhibition at an Italian contemporary art institution, opening February 28 at Palazzina dei Giardini in Modena. Titled "Upgrade in Progress," the show is the third phase of her project "Homemade RC Toy," which began in 2019 at Kunsthalle Basel and continued at the 5th Ural Industrial Biennial. The site-specific installation, produced by Fondazione Modena Arti Visive, features modular worktables transforming the galleries into a stage for robotic sculptures, mannequins, and video works. Curator Diana Baldon states the exhibition reveals "what lies beyond the profound materiality of the technological body: a cage that needs to reappropriate both the mortal body and its control, of which only the artist's mind holds the key." Jeong, a choreographer and dancer, blends dance, theater, video, and sculpture to explore the relationship between nature and technology. Her DIY robots, assembled from components bought online using self-taught programming, move awkwardly, contrasting with polished cyborg aesthetics. During the exhibition, Jeong will reside in Modena, working on her creations in public. Live performances are scheduled for March 1 and March 29 at 5 PM. Additionally, Jeong will perform "Rehab Training" at Live Arts Week in Bologna on March 26 and 27 at Galleria P420.