Life
MOCA Busan exhibition puts children first
"What makes a good child?"
The question is at the heart of a two-part exhibition, "The Post Modern Child," hosted by the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan. The first part of the show, which ended in April, examined how modern society forces adults to assert power over children through concepts of discipline; the second part, subtitled "Do Not Cook Special Meals for a Picky Child," imagines a world where discipline, defined as rules and regulations, do not exist.
Through 170 pieces of artwork by artists from around the world, the museum asks visitors to consider what it means-and what it meant-to be young. Certain works invite people to touch and play with them, breaking what is usually a museum's most immutable rule. Korean artist group Collective KKOM beckons museumgoers with an interactive display that engages all five senses.
Other works show animated videos and allow children to sit and draw. In this way, children can experience art as children, not as children pretending to be adults by following museum rules. Additionally, the museum encourages parents to let children interact with as many or as few installations as they want. Instead of needing to see every exhibit, a child can just spend the whole day with their favorite piece, just like a picky child who only eats one thing.
"The Post Modern Child (Part 2)" is on display at MoCA Busan until Aug. 27.
■ Museum of Contemporary Art Busan
Address: 1191 Nakdongnam-ro, Saha-gu
Hours: Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
Website: busan.go.kr/moca_en