Christine Sun Kim

Bettina Spörr

Secession, Vienna

Secession

Wide installation view of a large gallery with white walls and a concrete floor. We are facing a freestanding wall with a bold, black and white graphic painted on it. Behind the freestanding wall, the gallery is separated into three sections by two rows of narrow, rectangular pillars. The two sections flanking the main space are well lit by grids of lights or window panes extending across their ceilings. In the section on our left is a row of four framed artworks, mostly black with irregular white shapes at center. In the section on our right is a row of three framed artworks that look like faint pencil drawings on white paper. There are minimalist, white benches positioned opposite each set of artworks between the white pillars.

Corner installation view of the front section of the gallery with the freestanding wall on our right. The same black and white graphic painted on the freestanding wall continues on the wall on our left in a series of oversized peaks and valleys. In the distance, through an opening between the free standing wall and the wall on our left, is the section of the gallery with the row of five framed black and white artworks delineated from the rest of the space by two thin, white pillars.

Closer installation view of the framed artworks through the opening between the two walls with black and white graphics. Six framed artworks are visible, each mostly black with a different irregular white shape at center. There is what looks like a small speaker on the floor just beside the opening.

Corner installation view of the front gallery with the freestanding wall on our left. The same black and white graphics painted on the freestanding wall continues on the wall on our right in a series of oversized peaks and valleys. The overhead grid of lights or window panes is illuminated and extends across the ceiling. Beyond the freestanding wall, we can see a few framed artworks, but not clearly.

Wide installation view from the main space facing the corner where the front and side sections of the gallery meet. The front gallery with walls covered in black and white graphics is on our right. On the side of the freestanding wall facing us are two video monitors hung vertically. The one on the left shows a standing figure from the knees up wearing a dark top and pants. The one on the right is black. In the section of the gallery on our left, there are three primarily black works hanging on a far wall and what looks like a white desk in the distance.

Wide installation view from the main space towards the front section of the gallery, showing the black and white graphics covering the walls of that section. The image is symmetrical. On the side of the freestanding wall facing us are two video monitors hung vertically, with a white bench positioned in front of them. On our left and right are the sections of the gallery with white walls and grids of overhead lights making them so bright they seem to glow. The concrete floor in front of us is smooth and shiny, reflecting some of the room's ambient light.

Tighter installation view from the main space towards the front section of the gallery, showing the black and white graphics covering the walls of that section. The image is symmetrical. On the side of the freestanding wall facing us are two video monitors hung vertically, with a white bench positioned in front of them. The one on the left shows a standing figure from the knees up wearing a dark top and pants. The one on the right is black. A framed artwork hangs on the left side of the wall behind the freestanding wall. It looks like a smaller version of the black and white graphics of peaks and valleys covering the walls on which it's hung.

Tighter installation view from the main space towards the front section of the gallery, showing the black and white graphics covering the walls of that section. The image is symmetrical. On the side of the freestanding wall facing us are two video monitors hung vertically, with a white bench positioned in front of them. The one on the left is black and the one on the right shows a standing figure from the knees up wearing a dark top and pants, right arm raised. A framed artwork hangs on the left side of the wall behind the freestanding wall. It looks like a smaller version of the black and white graphics of peaks and valleys covering the walls on which it's hung.

Tight installation view from the main space towards the front section of the gallery, showing the black and white graphics covering the walls of that section. The image is symmetrical. On the side of the freestanding wall facing us are two video monitors hung vertically, with a white bench positioned in front of them. The one on the left is black and the one on the right shows a standing figure from the knees up wearing a dark top and pants, both arms at her side. Above her head are the words "amazing beautiful" in light blue sans serif font, and over her abdomen, the words "look-up sky" in pink. A framed artwork hangs on the left side of the wall behind the freestanding wall. It looks like a smaller version of the black and white graphics of peaks and valleys covering the walls on which it's hung.

Tight corner installation view of the front gallery, showing the black and white graphics covering the walls of that section. On the wall on our right hangs another framed drawing that looks like a smaller version of the black and white graphics of peaks and valleys on which it's hung. The drawing depicts what look like five black humps or narrow mountains on a white background.

A horizontal painting in black and white. A series of curved black peaks, like a stylized or simplified mountain range fills the image. The background is white. After zooming in the word "owe" is written in tiny white letters beneath each valley. The word is written four times across the painting.

Detail of the drawing of the series of curved black peaks, filling the image like a stylized or simplified mountain range. The background is white. The word "owe" is written in tiny capital letters beneath each valley.

Line drawing on white paper of what looks like a graph labeled "TikTok dilemma" in all caps. It consists of a dozen or so hand-drawn, parallel lines that arc up from the bottom left side of the drawing, flatten out horizontally, and then turn sharply in on themselves before descending back down to the bottom right side of the drawing. The lines form a kind of bridge shape. At the point where the upward arcing lines flatten out horizontally, the word "sign" is written in all caps above each one. At the point where the horizontal line turns sharply in on itself, the word "sing" is written in all caps above each one.

A square, black painting with four irregular shapes of white towards each corner of the canvas. In each area of white a word is written in all caps. Clockwise from top left are the words "debt," "debt," "cool," and "impt."

A square, black painting. At the center the word "sign" is written above the word "sing," both in white, capital letters.

Charcoal line drawing on white paper of a series of repeated lines forming half arches and the label "constant debt" written in capital letters towards the bottom of the page. The lines almost look like the illustrated path of a rock being thrown into a puddle: at the base there is a small tuft of new lines as if from impact.

A square, black painting with a large, irregular starburst shape of white towards the center. Around the edges of the white shape near each point are the words "palm" and "hand" written in small capital letters.

A drawing in charcoal on white paper showing three rows of four pairs of curved lines, each pair arching downwards from left to right. At the base of each pair of curved lines, there are four short, rigid lines, angled together to form a kind of arrow. The lines are loosely drawn and the rows are not perfectly even. At the top of each arch is the word "index" and at the bottom is the word "tip" written in small capital letters.

A dark, vertically-oriented image of a woman wearing black pants and a black shirt, standing against a black background. The light skin tone of her hands, face, and hair stands out in contrast to the dark background. Her left hand is raised towards her face and makes an L shape with her thumb and index finger. Her right arm is bent at the elbow, and all five fingers are extended, palm facing inward. Over her chest and arms is the caption "palm-this America" in white, sans serif font, with the word "America" in all caps.

Another dark, vertically-oriented image of the woman in black signing at the camera. The light skin tone of her hands, face, and hair stand out in contrast to the dark background. Both of her arms are bent at the elbow, and her hands are near her hips as if caught in the act of lowering her arms. Over her chest is the caption "palm-wave" in white, sans serif font. The caption "purple mountain mountain" is written in light gray text over her thighs, and "mountain" in larger, darker-gray capital letters over her knees.

Another dark, vertically-oriented image of the woman in black signing at the camera. The light skin tone of her hands, face, and hair stands out in contrast to the dark background. Her right forearm crosses her chest, and she holds her right index and middle fingers together, pointing at her left hand. She is holding her left hand upright, index and middle finger extended in a kind of backwards peace sign, with the back of her hand facing the camera. Over her chest is the caption "look-back" in white, sans serif font.

Another dark, vertically-oriented image of the woman in black signing at the camera. The light skin tone of her hands, face, and hair stands out in contrast to the dark background. Her right arm is bent at the elbow and her right hand raised, palm facing the camera. Over her chest and torso are the captions "(song ends)" and "(indistinct stadium noise)," respectively, in white, sans-serif font.

Christine Sun KimCues on PointSecession, Vienna

Exhibition Images

Christine Sun KimCues on Point
Secession, Vienna