Biography & Exhibition

Wonbaek Shin / 01. August. 1982 / South korea

-English
Wonbaek Shin was born in 1982 in South Korea from 2001 to 2007, his study of the Digital Media Design at Hongik University in South Korea. From 2002 to 2005 he was an electrical engineer in the military (ROKAF: The Republic of Korea Air Force). He was very interested in electronics. Therefore, he tried to include the electronic technology in his reflections and to realize his idea with the technology. The beginning of his interest was the relationship between him and the world. He wanted to know “who am I?” And “what and how should I do in the world?” like great philosophers,. At first he looked around to find the answers, because he could not see himself. But there were no easy solutions. That’s why he expressed his observation with a artwork “Hexachat”.

“Hexachat”, is a human communication simulation project for machines. People live in their communities and always communicate with each other. Language, which is the communication method of human beings, is defective by nature. There are many misunderstandings, and nothing is without error, but this is the very essence of what makes human language warm and meaningful. However, communication between machines is absolutely accurate; it is composed of data without the understanding for it, and thus meaningless for the machines despite the fact that they are ‘communicating.’ Therefore, I wanted to give the machines a human touch: inaccurate, meaningful and warm communication as human beings communicate with one another.

From 2008 to 2016 he was in Germany. He completed his diploma in art college for media in Cologne and collaborated on various art projects with other artists. In his art work, he is interested in invisible energy and considers himself in order to realize it with the artistic aspect. For example, a artwork “Expanding simplicity” shows his artistic focus.

“Expanding Simplicity” enamelled copper wires with a cross-section of 0.15 mm and 400 m long are fitted to a fractal form. With this material – used as a resistance – er generates electric tension without the employment of electronic components. Due to the infinite repetition of its complex shape and craft the fragile structure generates a circuit with 230 volts which causes a small light bulb of 6 volt to glow.

The artwork, a square based material image, comprises 2 levels:

The process of production and the result.

The artwork, carefully handcrafted like a fabric over weeks, reminds on traditional weaving techniques. Following the time span the rhythm and the repeating hand movings engender a state of mental concentration and self-absorption. Regarding the object the complexity of the visual surface and its elaborated texture seem to blur into an elementary electric process. The complexity of the object transforms into “expanded simplicity”.

In 2016 he founded a media artist group “LOVOT LAB” with another artist. The group focuses on media art using an A.I technology. Now, he teaches about media art in universities.

-Deutsch (kurze Biografie)
Wonbaek Shin wurde in Südkorea geboren und sein Studium des Digitalmedia Designs an Hongik Universität in Südkorea absolviert und sein Diplom in Kunsthochschule für Medien in Köln abgeschlossen. Seit 2011 arbeitet er verschiedene Kunstprojekt mit anderen Künstler zusammen. In seiner Kunstarbeit interessiert er sich für unsichtbare Energie und überlegt sich, um sie mit dem künstlerischen Aspekt zu realisieren.

Educations

2017 – PhD Candidate, Design/Craft, Hongik University in South Korea
2009 – 2015 Diploma, Academy of Media Arts Cologne in Germany
2001 – 2007 Bachelors of Art, Digital Media Design at Hongik University in South Korea

Prizes | Residencies

lab award 2015 Festival lab.30
31. Oct 2015, http://www.lab30.de/2015/de/award
Stipendium KWW(Kunst-Wissenschaft-Wirtschaft) – Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen in Germany
01. Oct – 25. Nov 2015

LOVOT LAB’s Exhibitions

LOVOT LAB – Media artist Group (Members: Hyuns Hong, Wonbaek Shin)

Exhibitions

SPEED I, SPEED II. TRACE I, RANDOM I / Interactive lighting Installation
CYCLE I, LINE I, RANDOM II / lighting Installation, 2017

Dual Identity. Körperliche Digitalität
Fri 15. Sep – Sun 15. Oct 2017, FAK.17, Münster in Germany
Jun Park und Wonbaek Shin: Dual Identity. Körperliche Digitalität

Expandierende Einfachheit / Hybrid Installation, 2015
CYNETART 2016 – International festival for computer based art
Thu 10. Nov – Wed 16. Nov 2016, Festspielhaus, Dresden in Germany
http://www.cynetart.org/2016/

E.E/16, Installation, 2016
JUST an exhibition
Fri 26. – Sun 28. Aug 2016, LOVOT LAB, Seoul in Korea
http://lovot.co/anexhibit/

Expandierende Einfachheit / Video a part of Installation, 2016
FILE 2016 – Electronic Language International Festival
Mon 11. Jul – Sun 28. Aug 2016, Fiesp Cultural Center – Ruth Cardoso, Sao Paulo in Brazil
http://file.org.br/highlight/file-sao-paulo-2016-come-cross-the-limit/

Circular Seed / Installation / 2015
Tue 24. Nov, Stiftung Künstlerdorf Schöppingen in Germany

Expandierende Einfachheit / Hybrid Installation, 2015
lab30 2015 – 14. Augsburger Kunstlabor
Thu 29. Oct – Sun 1. Nov 2015, Kulturhaus abraxas, Augsburg in Germany
http://www.lab30.de/2015/de/ausstellung

Werkleitz Festival 2015 .move ON: I know, you know – Ein audiovisueller Dialog
Fri 9. – Sun 25. Oct 2015, Leipziger Straße 61-62, Halle (Saale) in Germany
http://moveon.werkleitz.de/moveon-burg100-khm25

Art festival STROM IV – Kunstfestival STROM IV
Thu 27. – Sun 30. Aug 2015, Kunsthaus Rhenania, Cologne in Germany
http://2015.stromfestival.de/

Annual exhibition 2015 of Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Thu 16. – Sun 19. Jul 2015, Peter-Welter-Platz 5, Cologne in Germany
http://www.rundgang.khm.de/index.php?id=26

C.A.R Media art fair – C.A.R Medienkunstmesse
Fri 29. – Sun 31. May 2015, Comtemporary Art Ruhr(C.A.R), Essen in Germany

Solo exhibition – Einzelausstellung
Fri 23. – Sun 25. Jan 2015, Matjö / Raum für Kunst, Cologne in Germany
http://www.matjoe.de/wonbaekshin/

Expandierende Einfachheit / Hybrid Installation (Working Process), 2014
Annual exhibition 2014 of Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Thu 17. – Sun 20. Jul 2014, Fotolabor, Cologne in Germany

Trace of Trace(T.O.T) / Interactive Installation, 2013
Annual exhibition 2013 of Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Thu 18. – Sun 21. Jul 2013, Studiofoyer, Cologne in Germany

Butterfly / Object with metal powder, 2012
Annual exhibition 2012 of Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Thu 12. – Sun 15. Jul 2012, Transmedialer Raum, Cologne in Germany

Happiness beta / Sound Installation, 2010
ISEA 2010 RUHR Exhibition | Heavy Matter
Fri 20. – Sun 29. Aug 2010, Westfalen Forum, Dortmund in Germany
http://www.isea2010ruhr.org/de/ausstellungen/heavy-matter

Annual exhibition 2011 of Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Thu 14. – Sun 17. Jul 2011, Transmedialer Raum, Cologne in Germany

Anti-Karussell / Interactive Installation, 2010
Annual exhibition 2010 of Academy of Media Arts Cologne
Thu 15. – Sun 18. Jul 2010, Lab3, Cologne in Germany

Hexachat / Interactive Installation, 2007
Graduate Exhibition 2007, Digital Media Design,Hongik University
Thu 4. – Sun 8. Oct 2007, AIDAS, Seoul in South Korea