Moojin Brothers: The old man was dreaming about the lions (Vol.1 & Vol.2)

Moojin Brothers, The old man was dreaming about the lions – Volume 1, 2019, single-channel video, 4K, color, stereo sound, 19min 1sec

Moojin Brothers, The old man was dreaming about the lions – Volume 2, 2019, single-channel video, 4K, color, stereo sound, 30min 34sec

All rights reserved by the artist.

Moojin Brothers use video as a medium to question the systems that establish the foundations of society and construct beliefs in individuals and groups. The narrative of their works is led by rearranging collected stories, images, and sounds. The figures and events that persist in  the contemporary technological-environmental landscape, along with the narratives surrounding them, raise awareness of the issues in the present day. The old man was dreaming about the lions (Vol.1 & Vol.2) (2019) addresses the narratives of individuals that traverse generations, as well as the themes of residence and living environments. The day and night in Volume 1, along with the settings of everyday life, resonate with the subtle physical activities of the elderly. Volume 2 focuses on the stories of residence across three generation. Three scenes—a virtual landscape, an episode carving solid objects and a skateboarding scene—are interwoven like a decalcomania. Through this mixture of language, sound and visual imagery, the artists generate a kind of narrative. In this way, they pay attention to the diverse forms of contemporary life, connecting the discovered narratives to reflect upon the conditions of life today.

*The old man was dreaming about the lions – Volume 1 can be viewed at the physical exhibition space BOAN1942 ARTSPACE BOAN 1.

About the artists

“Moojin (無眞)” is the starting point of work; by questioning and deconstructing Moo (無), “things that have solidified as dominant values and belief systems,” and Jin (眞), “of society,” Moojin Brothers recreate the “human-environment system” of the contemporary era. Humans who reveal themselves through the images of persons and collective voices of those engulfed in the misery of life and the world, heavily armed with common sense and economic rationality form the basis of the artists’ works. They shed light on those who survive, rearrange collected stories and address the problems of today’s world. The artists document ideas around technological and environmental threats, and construct new images from them. Moojin Brothers experiment with an expansive range of media in accordance with the concepts and themes of their works, utilizing methods they have acquired from various contemporary channels.