Nhà máy Răng
hiệu con
Ác Là
Magpie Tooth Factory
2025
Exhibition
"In Situ" group exhibition, ARKO Art Center, Arts Council Korea, Seoul, South Korea.
Supported by Arts Council Korea.
For artists, a place is never a mere backdrop; it is the site where thought and action intersect. The exhibition In Situ introduces ARKO Art Studio, which just opened in 2025, and seeks to connect the artists’ sites of creation with the present space of the ARKO Art Center under the shared theme of “three places.” Each site shaped by the gaze and gestures of the artists holds layers of time and sensibilities, and within these overlapping strata, we encounter how art comes into being here and now.
In Situ unfolds as an architecture of overlapping and connected places within a single field: the museum. The space and time of the ARKO Art Center and ARKO Art Studio in Pyeongchang-dong intersect within the exhibition venue, where the time of artists who have completed their residencies meets that of those just beginning new works. In this convergence, In Situ captures the moment where past and present, as well as real and imagined places, meet in one place, providing an opportunity where visitors can experience the artist's site in a multidimensional way.
Perhaps the time the artists have spent in residence, their habitual routes, and the materials and words gathered from their surroundings are more deeply embedded in the process of formation than in the finished results. This exhibition understands that process as in situ—the condition of creation that arises precisely “on site”—and seeks to reveal the traces of these working grounds as they are. In this sense, In Situ extends the conventional notion of “site-specificity” in contemporary art beyond spatial context to encompass the time of creation, the relationships formed, and the choices made to conduct any operation.
Medium
1. Magpie Tooth Factory (Nhà máy Răng hiệu con Ác Là), 2025, Installation, 700 ceramic teeth, acrylic box, 55cm x 385cm
2. The Magpie’s Notes on the Five Tigers Tomb (Ghi chép Mộ Ngũ Hổ của chim Ác Là), 2025, Two-layer painting (Layer 1: Ink on Silk - Layer 2: Charcoal on Korean Traditional Paper), 29.7 x 42 cm
Artwork Note from Artist
When I began my residency in Korea, moving around the city made me start paying attention to a bird species here: the Magpie. Through personal observation and working with archives of this bird, I discovered its profound bond with Korean people. From folktales to contemporary urban life, the magpie has always lived as an alternative slice of history—a mirror reflecting the marginal, overlooked histories of this land. To me, the magpie in these stories appears as a liminal being, embodying humanity’s relationship with nature and, at times, the class structures within society.
In my first exploration, I focused on the behavior of throwing teeth onto the roof and the song: “까치야 까치야, 헌 이빨 가져가고, 새 이빨 가져다줘” (translated: Magpie, magpie, take the old tooth away, and bring me new tooth) to develop the installation “Magpie Tooth Factory.”
Within this contemporary context, the image of exchanging old teeth for new ones prompted me to reflect on the concept of biological trade-offs within humanity. Society tends to accept the notion of sacrificing itself in exchange for extraordinary societal advancement.
“Magpie Tooth Factory” represents an imaginary factory that, driven by market demand, transforms teeth into commodities. I chose mass production methods and uniform packaging to eliminate the individuality typically associated with teeth. Under the pressure of standardization, a personal and intimate aspect of human biology, such as teeth, becomes indistinct. In this scenario, humans emerge as commodities subjected to facile trading within capitalist frameworks.
In my second exploration, I examined the relationship between the magpie and the tiger as illustrated in the folk painting “Magpie and Tiger Painting,” which facilitated a discussion regarding the exchange between humanity and nature amid urbanization. Although Korea was historically recognized as the “land of tigers,” all natural tigers have been eradicated due to humanity's relentless development.
That famous folk painting ultimately leaves only the magpie remaining and adapting to the new urban environment. I created a series of imaginary maps that document the locations of tiger graves by the magpie, as a poignant symbol of a one-sided relationship that lacks a counterpart. Shifting humans away from the central position, these records serve as an effort to remind us on the path toward prosperity, beneath humanity’s feet lie countless graves we have dug for other species.
*Team Credit
Ceramic Production Studio: Nghé Atelier (Nguyen Hoang Huy)
Producer: Ches (Nguyen Tung), Bụi Tre Collective
Assistant Production: Hoan, Bich Ha
Photo Credit: Hong Cheolki © ARKO Art Center
