The solo exhibition by Martin Creed takes place at Art Sonje Center Seoul from November 7, 2009 through February 12, 2010. The show, presenting many of his major works including recently produced pieces, is his first solo exhibition in Korea and addresses his entire art world as a representative artist of the English contemporary art scene.

His art brings maximum thinking through minimum work and draws worldwide attention with its properties contrary to overstating aspects of the visual culture of our times. Made up of common things we frequently meet in our daily lives, his work is made particularly outstanding by its composition. In his work, repetitive daily life becomes one with art. His art is conceptually draconian in a sense; and simultaneously impressive and simple. Often extremely humorous, the effect of his work depends exclusively on its viewers. Like repetitive daily life, his art goes on like the process of life. Executing uncertain experiments, he shows contrasting values within equilibrium.

The exhibition will engage his entire art world by displaying works from a wide range of genres, including sculpture, installation, drawing, sound, neon, and film. <Work No. 673> to be displayed at the opening ceremony, a conductor and 18 orchestra members in a line organized in accord with the size of their instruments will play from a lowest note to a highest. Blurring the boundary between music and art, this work enables viewers to experience installation, freely moving around the venue.

<Work No. 890: DON’T WORRY> is a neon sign displaying DON’T and WORRY at its corners, emphasizing each meaning through a dramatic effect. In this work, carrying a banal phrase, his daily reality and work intention stands out. <Work No. 160: The lights going on and off> shows a balanced state between affirmation and negation; something and nothing, through the repetition of the lights periodically going on and off. <Work No. 396> and <Work No. 796> are procedural pieces, observing the change that occurs by piling up veneer boards or square wood.

<Work No. 673> to be presented at the exhibition opening, will help us appreciate Martin Creed’s art world while a talk with the artist takes place at Art Sonje Center, to broaden our understanding of contemporary art.

Image: Work No. 890: DON'T WORRY, 2008, Yellow neon, 50.5 x 500 x 6 cm