Multiculturalism and Belonging
29 Jan – 16 Feb
CICA Museum
196-30, Samdo-ro, Yangchon-eup, Gimpo-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea 10049
https://cicamuseum.com/multiculturalism-and-belonging
Through collaboration between CICA Museum, which is based in Gimpo, Korea and California State University, San Bernardino, the two institutions were able to develop an exhibition entitled, “Multiculturalism and Belonging” that investigates topics of identity, culture, ritual, history, and personal memory.
From the CSUSB side, the cultures of El Salvador, Nicaragua, Korea, Hong Kong, Puerto Rico, China, Vietnam Mexico, and Afghanistan are represented. The artists representing the CICA Museum are primarily of Korean descent. These artists expressed their cultural heritage through videography, digital illustration, animation, painting, poetry, lithography, pastels, mixed media, documented performance, and sculpture.
Some artists address issues of assimilation, language barriers, and disconnect from one’s cultural heritage. Other artists focused on the act of travel itself, cartography as an art form, and site specificity. A distinction is made between physical and mental migration in the modern age.
Several Korean artists embraced the materials, symbols, and traditions of Korean culture, namely through calligraphy, bojagi (Korean wrapping fabric), and hanji (traditional handmade Korean paper).
Artists explore how their sense of belonging to the culture in which they are presently situated can differ from their perception of belonging to their ethnic heritage. The tension between these cultures defines the immigrant experience. Moreover, one’s cultural experience can vary vastly from someone belonging to the same family unit. Each artist, to varying degrees, explored the construct of “the self” within a larger social and cultural landscape.
Publication
Turbulence – New Media Art 2025
Produced by CICA Press, Gimpo, Korea
Release Date: January 15, 2025
ISBN 979-11-88671-28-1 03600
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF / ART DIRECTOR: Leejin Kim
EDITOR / DESIGNER: Yoosang Erin Kim, Dongeun Wie
252 Pages
Intro: Turbulence
Leejin Kim
Turbulence: New Media Art 2025 highlights the works of artists and researchers who participated in major events of 2024: the CICA New Media Art Conference (CICA NMAC) at the CICA Museum, the International Symposium for Visual Culture (ISVC) in Silver Spring, MD, NEWBODIES/NOBODIES—a collaborative exhibition by Montgomery College and the CICA Museum, and Multiculturalism and Belonging—joint exhibitions by California State University San Bernardino (CSUSB) and the CICA Museum.
The CICA New Media Art Conference (CICA NMAC) has been hosted annually at the CICA Museum since 2017, fostering a global network for showcasing, gathering, and collaborating among international new media artists and scholars. Recognized with the Global Power Brand Grand Prize and featured in prominent outlets like The Korea Times, CICA NMAC 2024 took place from June 29 to July 1, presenting the work of 27 international artists from 14 countries.
The International Symposium for Visual Culture (ISVC), established in 2020, serves as a platform for diverse and critical perspectives on visual culture. The 2024 symposium was held in Silver Spring, MD, near Washington, D.C., featuring 19 artists and researchers from Korea, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Hong Kong, New Mexico, Portugal, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
In collaboration with Dr. Norberto Gomez Jr., we organized NEWBODIES/NOBODIES, a series of exhibitions exploring the concept of the “body” in the post-internet, long-COVID era. These exhibitions ran concurrently at the King Street Gallery, Montgomery College, and the CICA Museum, showcasing works by 8 Montgomery College faculty members and 20 Korea-based artists.
It was an honor to work with Prof. Taylor Moon Castagnari from CSUSB to curate Multiculturalism and Belonging, a joint exhibition between CSUSB and the CICA Museum. This series, held at CSUSB’s Dutton Gallery from September 7 to October 2024, continued at the CICA Museum from January 29 to February 16, 2025. It features 18 artists presented by the CICA Museum alongside CSUSB faculty and student works. The exhibitions delve into themes of culture, ritual, history, and personal memory as integral aspects of identity and meaning.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the incredible artists and researchers whose compelling works address the realities and critical issues of our era. Even amid turbulence, their relentless search for truth and meaning continues to shape the humanity of our time.
서문: 난류
김리진
Turbulence: New Media Art 2025 (난류: 뉴 미디어 아트 2025)는 CICA미술관의 2024년 주요 행사인 CICA 뉴 미디어 아트 콘퍼런스(CICA NMAC), 미국 메릴랜드주 실버 스프링에서 열린 국제 시각문화 심포지엄(ISVC), 몽고메리 컬리지와 CICA 미술관의 협력 전시 NEWBODIES/NOBODIES, 그리고 캘리포니아 주립대학교 샌버너디노(CSUSB)와 CICA 미술관의 교류전 Multiculturalism and Belonging에 참여한 작가와 연구자들의 작업을 소개한다.
CICA 뉴미디어아트 콘퍼런스(CICA NMAC)는 2017년부터 매년 CICA 미술관에서 열리며, 뉴미디어 작가와 연구자들이 모여 작품을 발표하고 교류하는 국제적인 네트워크 플랫폼으로 자리 잡았다. 2024년 콘퍼런스는 6월 29일부터 7월 1일까지 열렸으며, 14개국에서 온 27명의 작가가 참여했다. 본 행사는 더 코리아 타임즈 등 주요 언론에 보도되었으며, CICA NMAC 브랜드의 글로벌 파워와 잠재성을 인정받아 국회 상임위원장 표창 2024 대한민국 글로벌파워브랜드 대상을 수상하였다.
국제 시각문화 심포지엄(ISVC)은 2020년에 설립된 플랫폼으로, 시각문화에 대한 다양한 시각과 비평적 논의를 다루는 국제적 네트워크를 제공한다. 2024년 심포지엄은 미국 워싱턴 D.C.의 인접 위성 도시 실버 스프링에서 개최되었으며, 한국, 불가리아, 캐나다, 중국, 홍콩, 뉴멕시코, 포르투갈, 영국, 미국 등에서 온 19명의 작가와 연구자들이 참여했다.
NEWBODIES/NOBODIES는 Norberto Gomez Jr. 와 협력하여 기획된 교류전으로, 포스트-인터넷과 장기화된 팬데믹 이후 새로워진 신체의 개념을 탐구했다. 전시는 몽고메리 컬리지 킹 스트리트 갤러리와 CICA 미술관에서 동시 개최되었으며, 몽고메리 컬리지 교수 8명과 한국 작가 20명의 작업을 선보였다.
Multiculturalism and Belonging은 Taylor Moon Castagnari와의 협업으로 이루어진 전시로, 문화, 의식, 역사, 그리고 개인적 기억이 개인의 정체성 형성에 어떻게 영향을 주고 의미를 부여하는지 탐구한다. 전시는 2024년 9월부터 10월까지 CSUSB 더튼 갤러리에서 개최되었고, 2025년 1월 29일부터 2월 16일까지 CICA 미술관에서 이어졌다. CSUSB 교수진과 학생들, 그리고 CICA 미술관에서 선정한 18명의 작가가 참여하였다.
시대 정신과 탐구 정신을 바탕으로 역사성과 예술성이 돋보이는 작업을 선보인 작가와 연구자들께 깊이 감사드린다. 불안정한 현실 속에서도 멈추지 않는 그들의 노력은 우리 시대의 인본주의를 지속적으로 재정립하고 확장해나갈 것이다.