Since the 1990’s, Sung Min Hong participated in The Museum Exhibition in 1988, which catalyzed a turning point for the Korean contemporary art scene. He also produced and directed large-scale avant-garde theatrical productions since 2000. One of his main influences includes Antonin Artaud’s ‘Theatre of Cruelty’. Hong introduced radical and critical productions based on references of varied narratives from both high culture and popular entertainment with a sense of irony and humor.
Sung Min Hon presents performances by 5 actors who act in scenarios based on 5 critics’ reviews about 5 visual artists in 2009. 5 different actors were allocated to different theater directors. 5 directors trained 5 actresses to act for Romeo and Juliet without the presence of Romeo nor any other casts nor sets. Both similar but yet dissimilar, 5 Juliets act on the same stage.
For his opening performance for Mediacity Seoul 2012, National Geographic starts off with the scenery on the Royal Guards as they were resting behind the scenes at the Changing Ceremony for fo reigners visiting Deoksugung palace at the Oaehanmun gate situated near the Seoul Museum of Art. The resting spot for the Royal Guards is right next to the main building of the Seoul Museum of Art. This performance stands opposite from the ‘state of erection’ of important and endless news that is the nature of media. In popular National Geographic wildlife documentaries, lions are often described as aggressive and active hunters when in fact, lions spend up to 95 percent of their lives lying down comfortably under the tree shade. The idea behind Hong’s performance also refers to the strike held by MBC broadcasting staff members that lasted for 174 days. Here, Hong links these relative elements Just like the Mobius strip; animal documentaries, the Bukcheong lion mask dance (Lion mask dances are one of the most popular and representative traditional performances in Korea). In the performance, lions from the traditional lion dancers linger in front of the gallery as if they are on a strike.
