Jun Yang: The Overview Perspective

Art Sonje Center proudly presents an Austrian artist, Jun Yang’s solo exhibition, The Overview Perspective from April 20 to June 3, 2018. The title of exhibition, The Overview Perspective—derived from the term “overview effect,” which describes a shift in the awareness of astronauts during their space flights when they view the earth whilst in orbit. Looking at the earth as a blue dot in the universe, looking at oneself from the outside, means both stepping back and gaining distance as well as a shift in perspective—a parallax.

The exhibition is not a retrospective—but the works shown at the exhibition and produced for it describe a shift in perspective, both looking back at a series of his older works and within the narration of the exhibition. There is a shift away from a personal level (from salariiman to superman, Jun Yang and Soldier Woods) to a social and political standpoint (Camouflage – Look like them, Talk like them; Becoming European or How I grew up with Wiener Schnitzel) and a historical perspective (The Age of Guilt and Forgiveness, The Buck Stops Here). Then there is the view from a distance, from outer space (Across Stars and Seas, The Overview Perspective). It also tells the story of “moving away” from a scenario where the artist appears in his own performances and speaks about his own history in order to address social issues—finally, he disappears both as the “creator” of the work and the sole subject/object.

The exhibition draws connections to The Parallax Hanok at the Art Sonje Center, which Yang realized in 2016. It marks the conclusion of The Monograph Project (2015/2018, jovis, Berlin), which also functions as the catalogue for the exhibition. The Overview Perspective at Art Sonje Center is the start of a series of Yang’s solo exhibitions, continuing at the Kunsthaus Graz, 2019.

About the Artist 
Jun Yang is an artist based in Vienna, Taipei and Yokohama. Having grown up and lived in various different cultural contexts, Jun Yang examines in his artistic work the influence of clichés and media images on identity politics. His works encompass various mediums—including, film, installation, performance and projects in the public spaces while, addressing the problem to institutions, societies and audiences.

Previous exhibitions include the Biennal of Sydney 2018, the Gwangju Biennale 2012; the Taipei Biennial 2008, the Liverpool Biennial 2006, the 51st Biennale di Venezia 2005, and the Manifesta 4 in 2002. He is the recipient of the 25th Otto Mauer Art Award and the Award for Fine Arts of the City of Vienna 2017. He is also one of the founders of Taipei Contemporary Art Center; which evolved following a project he initiated in the Taipei Biennial 2008.

Organized by Art Sonje Center
Supported by Arts Council Korea