Moon Kyungwon & Jeon Joonho: Weather Station

Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing presents Weather Station, an exhibition by Moon Kyungwon & Jeon Joonho, an internationally renowned artist duo based in Seoul and Busan, starting on May 31, 2024.

Weather Station is an ongoing series of artistic experiments carried out between Seoul and Beijing that embrace a post-human perspective on climate change. The exhibition focuses on redefining the relationship between humans, non-humans, and nature in the era of AI. The artists take an alternative approach to climate change, considering the notion of coexistence.

Since 2009, Moon & Jeon have worked as a duo, delving deep into the role of art amidst human challenges and the rapidly changing world. Their work navigates through various technologies and mediums, including artificial intelligence (AI), video, installation arts, and drawings, to integrate their thematic narratives into multi-sensory spatial experiences.

“Weather Station suggests embracing a post-human perspective when addressing the planetary concerns of climate change and beyond,” said DooEun Choi, Art Director of Hyundai Motor Company. “We anticipate that this exhibition, in conjunction with a series of discussions, will serve as a platform for diverse interdisciplinary interactions, contributing to our collective future.”

Inspired by Jack London’s 1902 short story of the same title, To Build a Fire (2022–24) by Moon & Jeon tells the story of the Earth’s millennia-old transition and climate changes from the viewpoint of a stone generated by AI. Guided by the quadruped robot Spot, the participants are invited to traverse an augmented temporal and spatial world filled with unknowns and mysteries. The participants not only immerse themselves in the artistic allure of the installation but also encounter entirely new sensory experiences through the blurred boundaries between humans and non-humans.

Centering on the artists’ recent interest, the video installation News from Nowhere: ECLIPSE (2022–24) portrays the gripping tale of a lone protagonist struggling for survival aboard a rescue ship in an open sea. It is more than a mere survival narrative; it desperately seeks to resolve the fundamental inconsistencies of the world by bridging the gap between the real and the unreal.

Another installation, Mobile Agora (2022–24) is a participatory platform designed for discussion and creative collaboration, made by connecting recycled plastic chairs in a circular shape. Since 2012, Moon & Jeon have been working closely with experts from various fields, such as design, architecture, science, and philosophy, to propose alternative ideas for human survival in ever-evolving global surroundings.

As a cultural and artistic experimental hub, Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing is dedicated to exploring multi-disciplinary practices, enhancing the sustainable development of society. For the installation To Build a Fire at this exhibition, Hyundai Motor Group’s Robotics LAB developed a lightweight carbon monitoring device based on the previous device made in collaboration with Professor Sujong Jeong of Seoul National University’s Graduate School of Environmental Studies and BKID. Robotics LAB integrated it with an automatic control module and mounted it on a Spot robot to measure real-time carbon data within the exhibition hall and to participate in live performances. Additionally, Moon & Jeon collaborated with designer Hyung-jin Kim from the design studio Workroom to create a carbon calendar that reinterprets open data from various global cities, including Beijing.

The exhibition will run until February 9, 2025, and will be accompanied by a series of discussions and interactive events aimed at engaging local experts from various sectors and enriching the public’s experience, with a focus on our shared future. Additional information regarding public programs will be available on the official website of Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing.