Seung Yul Oh

A recent acquisition to the Collection in April 2005 was a video work by Seung Yul Oh titled The Ability to Blow Themselves Up.

Seung Yul Oh, The Ability to Blow Themselves Up, still from dvd, 2005

Comprising ten seconds of video looped for twenty two minutes, the project documents the reactions of people blowing up balloons until they pop. Seung writes, "Booming sounds, from the popping moment, are matched by the participant's surprise. I have captured Elam students and staff, people from K Rd, as well as myself."

Seung Yul Oh, The Ability to Blow Themselves Up, still from dvd, 2005

"The Ability to Blow Themselves Up" is part of a larger series where I will document people from many nationalities - young and old- caught in moments of uncontrolled reaction."

Seung Yul Oh, The Ability to Blow Themselves Up, still from dvd, 2005

"Each video work will be driven by my fascination with a human response and the accompanying facial changes."

Seung Yul Oh, The Ability to Blow Themselves Up, still from dvd, 2005

Seung Yul Oh

CV

Borm 13 December 1981, Seoul, Korea. Lives and works in Auckland, New Zealand.

Education
Intermediate Certificate of Art and Design, AUT, 1999
Bachelor of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, 2003
Masters of Fine Arts, University of Auckland, 2005 (present)

Awards
Mount Eden Young Artist Award 2000
The Goldwater Art Award Winner 2003
Waikato National Art Award Winner 2004

Solo Exhibitions
All the way down back inside the bones of your spine, Peter's Garage, 2005
Sniffing onioned armpit, Special Gallery, 2004
Seung, deepfried at peter's garage, Peter's Garage, 2003
The ability to blow themselves up, Spiral Gallery, 2003

Two Person Exhibitions
Asian Caucasian Stein, The Pet Show, site 1, with Peter Robinson, Anna Bibby Gallery, February 2004
It tastes a bit nutty, with George Chang, George Fraser Gallery, November 2003
Jelly Meat Soup, with Tanya Jade, The Gully Lounge, September 2003
Mark vs Seung, One Project, 2002

Group Exhibitions
Seeds of Order Chaos of Rythms, Elam Students, curated by Alan Smith, Anna Bibby Gallery, October 2004
Talk to the Dumbness, curated by Eddie Clemens, Rm 103, May 2004
Picture, Students from Elam, AUT, Unitec, curated by Anna Miles, Geprge Fraser Gallery, October 2003
That's Entertainment, Elam Painting, 2003
Animalised, Custom St Windows, May 2003
Farmorama, David King, George Chang, Gully Lounge, 2003
The Whale, Elam Painting, 2002
Funky Town, Custom St Windows. 2002

Seung Yul Oh, The Ability to Blow Themselves Up, still from dvd, 2005