Haegue Yang

Yang (born 1971, Seoul) is one of the leading artists of her generation. Leap Year showcases her multifaceted work, which spans thirty years and encompasses various media, including installations, sculptures, video, text, and sound. She transforms everyday objects, such as aluminum blinds, drying racks, and metal bells, into works of art that stimulate the senses.

In her work, Yang emphasizes how movement, feelings, and emotions are experienced across cultures. She uses light, sound, steam, heat, and scent to evoke memories and associations. She makes theatrical lights move across Venetian blinds, casting shadows, and transforms drying racks into humanoid beings in acrobatic poses. For the past thirty years, Yang has traveled primarily between Berlin and Seoul.

Themes such as migration, identity, history, and tradition are therefore naturally interwoven in her work, and closely linked to stories from music, literature, and politics. Folk rituals and traditional crafts have also become a focal point in her work in recent years.

On the other hand, Yang also critically reflects on ideas from modern Western art history. But even when addressing social issues, her work always remains personal and intimate.

Tip: also take a guided tour in Dutch or English through the Haegue Yang: Leap Year exhibition.