Editor’s Note: This article is part of Newsmakers, a series by ARTnews where we interview individuals who are influencing change in the art world.
Welcome to the resistorhood.
Young Joon Kwak’s current solo exhibition, titled „RESISTERHOOD,“ at the Leslie-Lohman Museum of Art in New York, explores the concept of the resistorhood through a collection of works created over the past decade, along with new commissions. The exhibition begins outside the museum with neon works displayed in window spaces, featuring powerful imagery of hands and text related to resistance and sisterhood.
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Inside the museum, visitors can view a series of dazzling bejeweled sculptures that reflect light and include embedded casts of Kwak’s body parts. These pieces juxtapose beauty and glamour with a deeper exploration of identity and resistance, particularly in the context of trans rights activism.
To learn more about the exhibition, ARTnews conducted an interview with Young Joon Kwak via Zoom.
The conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity and conciseness.
ARTnews: How did you approach creating your solo show at the Leslie Lohman Museum?
Young Joon Kwak: After being offered the show by Stamatina Gregory and Alyssa Nitchun, I reflected on the legacy of the museum in relation to queer and LGBTQ+ history. The institution’s dedication to showcasing and collecting art by queer artists is significant in shaping queer art history. The opportunity to exhibit at the museum felt meaningful, especially given the efforts of the current leadership to make the space more inclusive and diverse.
The exhibition features bejeweled sculptures that conceal casts of my face. This body of work, which was also shown at the 2023 Made in L.A. biennial, explores themes of camouflage and survival strategies for marginalized communities.
I refer to these works as my „chameleon“ body of work, inspired by the adaptive nature of chameleons. The pieces aim to engage viewers, inviting them to reflect on issues of visibility and identity, particularly in relation to queer and trans experiences.
Photo by Paul Salveson, courtesy of the artist and Commonwealth and Council.
One of the cast sculptures in the exhibition depicts a cis woman’s nine-month pregnant belly, aiming to bring a different body into the conversation of transness. This serves as a reminder that all bodies are constantly transitioning in some way. The sculptures and paintings in the exhibition focus on creating intimate encounters and experiences with transness, provoking viewers to connect with the art in unexpected ways.
The body print inspired by David Hammons’s work uses body casts as rubber stamps, allowing for deviations from the original form and inviting viewers to see themselves in the artwork. The open-ended nature of the prints creates space for projection and imagination, encouraging inclusivity and generosity in how people engage with the art.
The artist emphasizes the importance of offering spaces for people to imagine their own bodies in the artwork, challenging traditional representations and promoting connection and understanding across different groups. The exhibition aims to create a sense of community and empowerment for queer and trans individuals, offering a different response to transness that is inviting and welcoming rather than alienating.
The show „Resisterhood“ combines themes of resistance and sisterhood, reflecting the artist’s defiance of conventions and commitment to collective empowerment. The exhibition serves as a love letter to the queer and trans community, offering a space for visibility and affirmation during challenging times. Ultimately, the artist hopes that visitors will feel seen, affirmed, and empowered by the transformative potential of the artwork. The show is urgent for me because it asserts the existence and endurance of trans bodies, care, community, and support in the face of destruction and erasure attempts. I believe in the power of love and care, movement over rigidity, and transformation beyond representation. We will keep shining and transforming, they can never erase us. The LGBTQIA+ community at the queer museum makes me feel affirmed and supported, surrounded by love. I hope my artwork can create empathy and connection, bridging divides and welcoming all. Performance and music connect to the physical objects in the museum show through different contexts and audiences. My performance work involves my body, while sculptures serve as proxies for my body and allow engagement in a different way. I want people to engage with the work and with transness, considering different audiences and contexts. I invite viewers to have their own experience and interpretation of the work, creating space for projection and connection. In these scary times, I resist the impulse to hide or wither away, choosing instead to shine and resist fear.