AHL Foundation Announces Opening Of SENSORIA, An Exhibition Of Adopted Korean Artists

AHL Foundation, a non-profit organization supporting Korean contemporary art, is proud to announce the opening of its annual exhibition of Korean adopted artists, Sensoria. Curated by Katie Yook, the exhibition presents artworks by Se Young Au, Jette Hye Jin Mortensen, and KimSu Theiler.

The exhibition aims to bring to the forefront a group of an estimated 200,000 children adopted from Korea between the end of the Korean War until the mid 2000s who, despite geographical dispersal, maintain a strong global community. By bringing the artists' narratives to the forefront, Sensoria looks to expand the notion of Korean identity and bring to light the sociohistorical underpinnings of adoption.

The exhibition's title refers to the complex set of stimuli that make up one's perception of the world. Spanning video, sound, drawing and installation, the exhibition is themed around the artists' use of non-visual senses, such as sound, scent, narrative and digital technologies to explore complex and abstract ideas of transnationality, memory, fluidity and community.

The artists share an impetus to understand one's history and find meaning in connecting to oneself and each other. Common themes that arise from these explorations include journeys and healing. For example, Se Young Au conceives of an offering to children who did not have agency in their leaving of Korea and uses scent to explore grief held in the body. Similarly, Jette Hye Jin Mortensen uses sensory and ancient exercises to transform self harm, anxiety and sorrow into a healing space. Meanwhile, KimSu Theiler uses filmmaking and narrative to interrogate the epistemic foundations of how a person is defined as a member of a community.