olafur eliasson: the parliament of possibilities exhibition

danish-icelandic artist olafur eliasson, presents his solo exhibition ‘the parliament of possibilities’ at the leeum, samsung museum of art in seoul. twenty-two works are presented across the gallery, including pieces from the artist’s early carer, to works representative of his most recent activities.

rainbow assembly, 2016
all images © hyunsoo kim

olafur eliasson has worked across various artistic disciplines, including sculpture, installation, photography, and painting. his work aims to encourage and provoke a positive response, by raising questions dealing with nature, philosophy and science. the exhibition at the leeum, samsung museum of art, includes the artist’s gravity-defying ‘reversed waterfall’ (1998), icelandic moss titled ‘moss wall’ (1994) to his current productions, ‘your unpredictable path’ (2016) – a work inspired by constellations and nebulae – and ‘rainbow assembly’ (2016), an installation piece made of water droplets and light.

less ego wall, 2015

‘the parliament of possibilities celebrates the fact that the world and our feelings about it are constantly changing. when we see things as a continuous process of production and relation, we may also see their potential. we then have the opportunity to negotiate reality, to decide together what world to build. I would like to think that my works encourage people’s engagement and experience of being present with and in the world. the artworks function as mirrors, reflecting a not-yet-verbalised emotional need that we carry inside ourselves.’ olafur eliasson

moss wall, 1994

‘moss wall’ is a major work from early in eliasson’s career. what you see is cladonia rangiferina, which is also called reindeer moss, a lichen native to the northern regions, including iceland. as the lichen dries, it shrinks and fades. however, when it is watered, the lichen expands and emits a pungent odor.

moss wall, 1994

reversed waterfall, 1998

a four-tiered scaffolding, standing in the middle of a pool of water, supports four rectangular metal basins, one on each level. the installation reverses the usual gravitational flow of water with a system of pumps and hoses that shoots jets of water upwards. this unusual waterfall fills its surroundings with moisture and the sound of splashing water, stimulating the auditory and tactile senses of the audience.

less ego wall, 2015