Jacob Korczynski’s exhibition research proposes an intergenerational dialogue between Theresa Hak Kyung Cha and Jimmy Robert — two artists whose connection emerges from his studies not in a traditional art history informed by the collection of painting and sculpture but rather one engaged in the ‘minor’ artforms: artists’ books, film and video, and performance. For Cha and Robert all three of these media foster moments of intimacy with the viewer, inviting not only close proximity, but close readings that also extend to the corporeal experience of our encounter as viewers.

The works of Cha and Robert draw upon all three of the languages they are fluent in: Korean/English/French for the former and Creole/French/English for the latter, resulting in a strident, yet sensual critique of language. Also, Cha and Robert both take their own body and its attendant limits into account via object-making. They acknowledge the history that is carried by each and every one of our bodies in works that engage both family portraiture and self-portraiture as material. Finally, they both engage with film and video as a platform for performance and in doing so, address the tension between the still and moving image.