Kookmin University, College of Art, Graduation Exhibition 
'MODERN DAYS'
2011.12.01 ~ 2011.12.18
Art Building, Kookmin University

On December 1st, there was an opening of the Graduation Exhibition in front the gallery on the second floor of the Art building. Graduating students put their skills and experience from four years of studying into their works. The time from the planning of a work to late night work passed through their minds like a flash. It must be a bittersweet experience for them to have this exhibition. It was moving to see their jobs hanging on the wall under the bright lights. As a student of the Art Department at Kookmin University, I was glad to see the Graduation Exhibition finally come to fruition.

Q. What does the title of Graduation Exhibition, ‘Modern Days’ mean?
There are several hidden meanings for the title, ‘Modern Days’. First, we quoted from the song, ‘Space Tractor’, which has a utopian nuance to it. Secondly, it is related to the movie, “Modern Times” by Charlie Chaplin. In this movie, he was struggling working at a factory and finally succeeds in running away with his loved one. Lastly, it’s literally ‘Modern Days’. Modern reminds you Avant-Garde in art. Although it failed, it caused a huge wave. So actually it was kind of a success, not a failure. To sum it up, ‘Modern Days’ means that it feels like we’re getting left behind, not being ahead of the time or it could be that we’ve failed, or have not made a huge success of it. And it’s something that leaves you possessed with an illusion, or something silly…  However, let’s become the person who can pick himself up and keep on running and running with certain ideas in his mind even though the plan is too unrealistic. So, Fly high! Win with success!!! And we will set the pace for the Avant-Garde of our time. Also, ‘Spread’ which is used as a subtitle of Modern Days means distributing in a sheet or layer.

– Sae Rom Kim, the representative of Painting Department of Graduation Exhibition

 
Opening of Graduation Exhibition

The exhibition will be held in the Art building. There is a gallery on the second floor, two exhibitions spaces on the first floor, and there are also two three-dimensional art galleries on the first basement floor. About 70 graduating students show their work in their own booths, which are full of flowers and signed guest books from friends and family.

View of the exhibition

The Exhibition of Students’ Works

 
Seung Ji King/Night of Emotion_Se Lim Cho/Mugayuhyang_Dong Hyun Kim/Restaurant”Yoko”_Rye Eun Kim/Becoming us after losing myself_Min Young Kim/Empty_Sae Rom Kim/Fairy Tale_Soo Jin Kim/Cold

Han Ul Kim/Antennifer_Hyun Ji Kim/the right to be remembered_Hyun Ji Kim B/the violet age
Hyo Jin Kim/blow_up_Ji Young Na/abandoned_Ji Yeon Nam/Pushing and Pulling_Han Je Rye/Seoul Tribe

 
Ji Sun Jeong/The eternity of the moment_Yun Ha Jo/(ed)+(ing)+(will be)_Ha Na Jo/leaving with holding
Bo Kyung Jeon/Hwaninglai galibong_Sun Ah Choi/Coexistence in me_Yun Jeong Choi/ 肨_Ji Min Han/Calm

 
Jeong Won Moon/touching_Jeong Min/how could you do this to me_Gyu Li Park/Obsession
Rak Seung Park/ do iconoclasm yourself_Min Hui Park/ fake apple tree_Sang Jun Park/Materialized Space
Sun Hwa Park/Sway_So Yeon Park/Non-uniformed Mixture

“When I saw the senior students working, I thought it must be really hard. On the other hand, they also looked cool concentrating on doing their work. And now they are completed and I think it’s amazing. They look precious because I know that every piece of work came from their hard work. I can now imagine myself having a graduation exhibition in two years. It’s very moving to see the seniors’ smiling faces even though they must be exhausted from working late up until the last night of the opening. I too really want to make a great work when I graduate.”

-Sculpture Major Sophomore, Jun Yeol Kim

It took a while to look around the exhibition. Every work brought many thoughts and meanings. It is impossible to explain all the works through this article, but all of them are alive in my heart. I would like to applaud the students for their passion and creativity.