Hyundai Commission: Anicka Yi
Press Release 6 July 2021
Anicka Yi. Photo courtesy: David Heald
This autumn, Tate Modern's annual Hyundai Commission will once again return to the gallery's iconic Turbine Hall with a major new site-specific work from conceptual artist Anicka Yi. Launching in October 2021, this year's Hyundai Commission will be Yi's largest and most ambitious project to date.
Anicka Yi (b.1971, Seoul) fuses artistic imagination and scientific research. Drawing on disciplines as wide ranging as biology, biochemistry, anthropology and philosophy, her work speculates about the present in relation to our shared futures including the evolution of artificial intelligence, climate emergency and migration. She is known for the way her works activate different senses and for experimenting with unorthodox materials that have ranged from tempura batter to kombucha leather. At the 2019 Venice Biennale, Yi created giant pods made of kelp filled with animatronic insects, as well as panels of soil in which an artificial intelligence controlled the environment of living organisms. Other recent projects have featured a fragrance incorporating chemical compounds from humans and ants, and a display of metal pins corroding in ultrasonic gel. Yi's new work for Tate Modern's Turbine Hall later this year will continue her highly experimental cross-disciplinary approach.
Frances Morris, Director, Tate Modern said:
"Anicka Yi has developed a reputation for highly innovative work. Her installations are unforgettable, using the latest scientific ideas and experimental materials in unexpected ways. The results not only engage the senses, but also tackle some of the big questions we face today about humanity's relationship to nature and technology."
Wonhong Cho, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Hyundai Motor, said: "We are delighted to support the sixth annual Hyundai Commission by Anicka Yi. Her exploratory and interdisciplinary works add valuably to contemporary conversations surrounding art and science, and we look forward to how her work will reflect on the ever-evolving connections between humans and technologies."
Since Tate Modern opened in 2000, the Turbine Hall has hosted some of the world's most memorable and acclaimed works of contemporary art, reaching an audience of millions each year. The way artists have interpreted this vast industrial space has revolutionised public perceptions of contemporary art in the twenty-first century. The annual Hyundai Commission gives artists an opportunity to create new work for this unique context. The commissions are made possible by the long-term partnership between Tate and Hyundai Motor, confirmed until 2025 as part of the longest initial commitment from a corporate partner in Tate's history.
Hyundai Commission: Anicka Yi will be curated by Achim Borchardt-Hume, Director of Exhibitions and Programmes; Mark Godfrey, former Senior Curator, International Art; Carly Whitefield, Assistant Curator, International Art and Petra Schmidt, Production Manager. In partnership with Hyundai Motor, with additional support from the Anicka Yi Supporters Circle and Tate Americas Foundation. It will be accompanied by a new book from Tate Publishing.
About Anicka Yi
Anicka Yi was born in Seoul in 1971 and now lives and works in New York City. She has been the subject of solo exhibitions at museums including the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, Kunsthalle Basel, and the Fridericianum in Kassel. Her work featured in the Venice Biennale in 2019, the Whitney Biennial in 2017 and the Gwangju Biennale in 2016, as well as in many group exhibitions around the world. She won the Hugo Boss Prize in 2016 and has held residencies and fellowships at the Berggruen Institute in Los Angeles, the Headlands Center for the Arts, and the Center for Art Science and Technology at MIT.
About Hyundai Motor's Art Projects
Hyundai Motor Company has been supporting art initiatives driven by long-term partnerships with global museums - the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), Tate and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) since 2013, along with major sponsorships for the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale 2015, 2017, 2019 and the 20th and 21st Biennale of Sydney. The newly established Hyundai Tate Research Centre: Transnational encourages innovative ways of thinking about art and global art histories, and in partnership with global media group Bloomberg, Hyundai Motor Company connects international audiences with artists exploring the convergence of art and technology.
About Hyundai Motor Company
Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision 'Progress for Humanity,' Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Urban Air Mobility (UAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions, while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.
More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at:
http://worldwide.hyundai.com or http://globalpr.hyundai.com.
Contact: Jin Cha, Global PR Team / Hyundai Motor Company, sjcar@hyundai.com, +82 2 3464 2128
IMAGES AND PRESS REQUESTS
For press information contact Joanna.Sandler@tate.org.uk or Rachael.Young@tate.org.uk. High resolution press images can be downloaded from Tate's Dropbox site.