Part-time Suite: Seoul collective explores marginal urban spaces through labor-focused installations

Artist collective Part-time Suite formed in 2009 in Seoul, South Korea, originally consisting of Byoungjee Lee, Jaeyoung Park, and Miyeon Lee. Their early projects like Under Interior, Off-off-stage, and Loop the Loop utilized temporary rented spaces—basements, vacant lots, and rooftops—funded by the artists' part-time jobs. These installations transformed neglected urban sites into both private studios and public venues, addressing socio-economic marginalization. The collective's practice emphasizes physical labor over object production, engaging in activities like rug weaving and cement pounding to explore labor economics. They organized film screenings and debates to build local art community connections. In 2010, Drop by Then featured works created near North Korea's Demilitarized Zone. Their 2015 project, The Ballad of Real Estates, extended their focus to squatted and occupied areas in Spanish cities including Madrid, Seseña, Málaga, and Granada. Since 2013, the collective has operated as a duo without Byoungjee Lee. Their work blends experimental and poetic approaches to critique contemporary social structures. This profile was selected by Hyunjin Kim and first appeared in ArtReview's January & February 2016 issue.