There is a special exhibition that closes at the end of this month on May 28. An art exhibition titled “YOUTH” is being held at the D Museum in Hannam-dong, Seoul. In line with its title, it displays the most representative works of 28 artists who have attracted world-wide attention with the dynamic energy that is unique to the younger generation. Their artworks represent the essence of what can be defined as the youth culture. What is more, in the first three weeks after its opening, the exhibition exceeded fifty thousand visitors and half of the visitors were in their twenties. This clearly exemplifies its success in embodying its youthful theme into the exhibit hall. Left with only one more month of exhibition, The Argus made a special visit to the YOUTH, and examined how the cultural code shared among the youth was handled and the reaction of young visitors toward it.

Introduction to the exhibition “YOUTH”
From Feb. 9 to May 28, the D Museum will house the YOUTH exhibition, which demonstrates the core elements of the youth culture. This exhibition consists of two sections. In the first section, 240 pieces, including 200 photographs and 25 images, are exhibited to provide a glimpse into the multi-faceted emotions that coexist within the youth generation, such as a strong desire for deviance, freedom, rebellion and passion. The second section contains photographs and video works that convey the optimistic sensibility of the beautiful, heart-throbbing youth.

On the first floor (M1) lies section one:
records of staggering youth and its deviations

As The Argus approached the museum, a mob of a formidable size queued up in front of the ticket box. The already-saturated row of waiting visitors elongated endlessly as more people arrived and lined up. Frightened by the ever-growing line, some people turned away in disappointment.

A. First Impression on youth’s frustration
Upon entering the first section of the exhibition, chaos unfolded. Amidst the pitch-black space, black and white pictures of intimidating youths, at the peak of their adolescence, hung against barbed wire walls. The spaces between the artworks were decorated with small televisions broadcasting lively youth in action and skateboards?the symbol of their free-spirited personalities and deviant behaviors.
People widened their eyes as they stepped into the madhouse. After a few flickers of the eyes, they quickly pulled out their phones, framed their shots, and pressed the shutters. The series of photo-taking by nearly all the visitors in the room greatly contributed to making the madhouse even more mad. Out of all the sights, the one thing that captivated the audience the most was the yellow-colored neon signs that read, “Only you think I am gorgeous.” Directed at their parents, the straightforward and sarcastic messages seem to emit the rebellious nature of the young generation. People gathered around the neon signs and busily took photos like paparazzi in an unofficial photo zone.

B. Frustrated by the photo-obsessed youth
Walking along the wired passageway, motion pictures flashed by beneath the footsteps of visitors. The young spectators happily posed on the screen and faced the camera for their shots. Such frequent stops within the narrow corridor engendered a temporary yet continual traffic jam. Swept by the swarm of mad photographers, it was difficult to maintain the spontaneous speed needed to appreciate each artwork.
As the photo-holic generation took shots of the photogenic exhibition, The Argus wondered about their purposes for visiting the museum. The elderly often advised the young to take as many pictures as they can of the present. The youth today seem to obey that advice more faithfully than needed. The true meaning of photos does not lie in the quantity, but in capturing a memorable moment in life that would present a sense of reminiscence in the future. With that being said, are we taking qualitative?not quantitative?pictures in true remembrance of the must-remember moments?

C. Frustrated message of the exhibit
Reaching the middle of the first section, a series of long vertical bars besieged the visitors within a circular space. Two large screens projected two lively strips of videos. One of the videos showed young people playing a rhythmic piece of hip-hop music. Some young photographers put down their cameras and made small dance moves along with the groove.
At the end of the first floor, works were displayed on easel-like structures whose size was beyond that of a typical easel. Their radical size seemed to originate from the intention to express the extra-ordinary and out-of-the-box characteristics of the youth.
The Argus asked a woman why she was taking pictures of the enormous easels. She answered that she does not have a reason. Then, The Argus encountered a middle-aged woman who looked at the young people with much interest. “The exhibition itself is wonderful, but what is more is the culture of the youth enjoying the exhibition. They are so immersed in taking photos of not just the displays, but also of themselves,” she replied.
It was profoundly unnerving to hover over the exhibition and fail to understand the message that the exhibition wanted to express. The Argus asked a female agent in her twenties about her opinion on the exhibition. She said she cannot empathize with it because it mainly deals with foreign youths and their youth culture. Fair enough, the foreign aspects do strike a difference between how youths behave on one continent and on another. Nonetheless, the first section seemed to imply that youth cannot be fundamentally explained without frustration, deviance and despair. That commonality can certainly be shared across countries. Unfortunately, it seemed that no one had received the message, yet.

On the second floor (M2) lies section two:
heartfelt moments of beautiful youth

On the stairs leading up to the second floor, people continued to take pictures. In turn, a line formed in front of the staircase. Awaiting the photographers on the stairs, The Argus approached two females who were also waiting. Erika, a 20-year-old Japanese girl, commented that the exhibition is “fashionable.” She explained, “It is not just pictures hanging on the walls, but much more. I feel that the entire place the youthful spirit itself. The wide range of different displays greatly appeals to the styles and senses of young visitors.”
As such, some were possibly obsessed with leaving a visual proof driven by clear motivation. They were truly drawn by the explosive energy that the youth emit, not by the photogenic aspect of the place. It was undeniable that the first section portrayed the exclusive emotions that youth undergo: despair, desire to deviate and denial of their demeaning demeanors. As a result, visitors cannot help but take out their cameras in awe.

A. Youthful glee
The second floor unfolded into a completely disparate atmosphere as compared to the floor below; the room was brightly lit from the white wall paper. Artworks with a rich array of palettes colored the space with glee. Among them, the highlight was the grand spectacle located in the center. Over the course of five years, the artist carried out a long-term project by taking 200 photographs of gleeful youth in their twenties. Although the young people were without a single piece of clothing, they wore the happiest smiles on their faces. All of them beamed with joy as if life was perfect. On the other side of the wall were underwater shots of nude youth. Most acclaimed by male visitors, they swam in accordance with the waves, showing off the physical beauty of the youth.
The naked youths in the both sets of works were austere, assured, and gave off a cheerful energy. They seemed to express a pure sense of joy that does not come from having set a concrete direction in life. Rather, it is derived from enjoying the full measure of what being young allows for. They understood that youth in itself was the greatest blessing of life. Therefore, there could be no plausible reason not to be happy.

B. Definition of youth
Separated from the rest of the exhibition by a wall, a dimly lighted space showcased a video clip whose screen was projected against the wall. The two-minute video, directed by a French artist named Paul Franco, was composed of close-up clips of fragmented and discontinuous scenes which quickly flashed by, one after another. What stood out the most, other than its main characters and visual elements, were the subtitles at the bottom of the screen which translated the gentle narration.
“We live in a world where we are always short of time. Jumping. Rushing. It is a world where everything is moving so fast. So I want to focus on the essence ... we live in the present, which is more precious than anything else in the world... I think the energy that ‘hope’ gives off is vitally important. I think the innocence and recklessness of youth are the most important base elements of inspiration. Youth is open to everything and it is passionate. We have to go back to being pure as white.”
The Argus stood in front of the screen in silence, and re-watched the video a number of times. At last, every line segmented together and created meaning?the message that The Argus had so yearned for. It became clear what the artists meant with their works. They did not merely portray the images of youth, but implied a common value that young people behold. Youth is not only magnificent by and for itself, but it contains youthful characteristics unique only to them. Henceforth, the youth are obliged to recognize this fact and exercise their youthful privileges to the fullest.
Looking around, some people filmed the video as if they were deeply impressed. Others marched toward the screen and posed facing the camera as if it were another visual display. Among the varied reactions, there stood a man whose eyes remained fixated on the screen. The 24-year-old man shared that the video made him to reflect on the definition of youth that he had given little regard to. In turn, The Argus asked how he would define youth, and he answered, “A perfect time for you to wander and meander for whatever might befall afterwards.”

At the exhibition, there were other hidden elements worthy of notice. One that most lingers in the mind was this inscription on the floor that read, “They are so anxious about the future, that they neglect the present, and thus live in neither the present nor the future.” This quote is an excerpt from the book “Like the Flowing River” written by an award-winning author Paulo Coelho. It once again reminds young people to set their sights on what is happening right now: their youth.

When we were little, we wished to become adults, but when we do, we worry about the far future. We grow blind to our current youth and turn our attention to the vague concerns about what might come later on. Sometimes we even sacrifice the present for a better future. Although the sacrifice itself is not wrong, we should enjoy the privilege of our youth right now before it expires. Let us not be afraid of the passing of time, but once and for all dedicate ourselves to our youth which is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Feel free to wander around without direction, rise from numerous failures and relish the joy of being a youth, because you are only young once.

By Lee Sei-yon
Associate Editor of Culture Section