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Tomas Saraceno seeks symbiosis with spiders

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Argentinian-born artist Tomas Saraceno poses for a photo in front of 'Seoul/Cloud Cities' at Gallery Hyundai in central Seoul where his solo exhibition is held through Dec. 8. Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai
Argentinian-born artist Tomas Saraceno poses for a photo in front of 'Seoul/Cloud Cities' at Gallery Hyundai in central Seoul where his solo exhibition is held through Dec. 8. Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Argentinian-born artist Tomas Saraceno learned how to have a symbiotic relationship with nature through spiders.

"I always think of the spiders collaborating with me, not me collaborating with them," Saraceno said during a short visit to Seoul to open his solo exhibition at Gallery Hyundai, which runs through Dec. 8. "They have lived on the planet Earth longer than humans ― over 140 million years. I think they know better than us and can teach us something."

The exhibit features a wide range of Saraceno's works from his collaborations with spiders to utopian visions inspired by clouds.

'Arachno Concert with Arachne (Nephila senegalensis), CosmicDust (Porus Chondrite) and the Breathing Ensemble' by Tomas Saraceno / Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai
'Arachno Concert with Arachne (Nephila senegalensis), CosmicDust (Porus Chondrite) and the Breathing Ensemble' by Tomas Saraceno / Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai

"Arachno Concert With Arachne (Nephila senegalensis), CosmicDust (Porus Chondrite) and the Breathing Ensemble" on the second floor invites visitors to take a step into a dark corridor and then a universe of spiders, spider webs, cosmic dust and sonic waves.

The centerpiece of the installation is a web built by three different species of spider and now occupied by another species. Some are weaved in a day, while others take weeks. "Each species weaves at a different speed," Saraceno explained.

For the Seoul exhibit, Saraceno liaised with a Korean entomologist to find a nephila clavata to live in the web created by the other spiders.

While the intricate structure of the web immediately catches the eye, the installation also captures movements of dust and transforms the movements into sound, playing from the speaker installed behind the web.

As the temperature and the amount of light in the room influence the artwork, visitors are also a component of the installation. This is the reason why Saraceno calls the piece a concert, comparing it to an orchestra.

A cobweb created by three different species of spiders in
A cobweb created by three different species of spiders in "Arachno Concert with Arachne (Nephila senegalensis), CosmicDust (Porus Chondrite) and the Breathing Ensemble" at Gallery Hyundai / Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai

The artist suggested taking one's eyes off bright smartphone screens and let them adapt to the darkness.

"Try to perceive the darkness, the sound of breathing and the movement of dust ― try to attune to other rhythms," Saraceno said of the work which opens up the awareness of species other than people living on Earth. "The longer your eyes adjust to the dark, the more you will start to see."

Saraceno's obsession with spiders began when he was a child at his grandparents' home in Argentina.

While most people try to sweep away cobwebs as soon as they see them, Saraceno was fascinated by the arachnids living in the attic and the light shining on the dust and the spider webs. According to the artist, even now there are 150 spiders in his studio in Berlin, living in every corner.

His affection for spiders has gone beyond the gallery. He launched a mobile application "Arachnomancy Cards," as part of "Spider/Web Pavilion 7" at the 2019 Venice Biennale. Users can have their fortunes told if they submit photos of spiders and spider webs, which will go into Saraceno's research archive. The deck of 33 cards will give insights taken from spiders and cobwebs.

"This app makes people recognize cobwebs around them," the artist said.

'A Thermodynamic Imaginary' by Tomas Saraceno / Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai
'A Thermodynamic Imaginary' by Tomas Saraceno / Courtesy of the artist and Gallery Hyundai

"A Thermodynamic Imaginary" on the first floor consists of hand blown glass spheres suspended from the ceiling. The whimsical installation of light and shadow resembles constellations, the moon or bubbles floating in the sky. Using thermodynamic imagery, Saraceno invites visitors to "the blurred figure of space, nudging and blending the texture of time."

Saraceno also presents his idea of utopia in "Cloud Cities" and "Cloud Constellations" in the basement. He created "Seoul/Cloud Cities" for this exhibition, combining landmark images of Seoul with geometrical shapes taken from clouds, universes, foam and neural communication networks.

The artist studied architecture and the idea of architecture is reflected in most of his work, including the modules of "Cloud Constellations."

These futuristic installations are based on the artist's long-term research project on an alternative form of urbanism and habitats. Saraceno suggests airborne dwellings, only using environment-friendly energy such as air and solar power.


Kwon Mee-yoo meeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr


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