The Australian contemporary artist Daniel Boyd is currently part of the group exhibition UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA, held at the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA), Korea. Co-curated by SeMA and Artspace, Sydney, in celebration of the 60^th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Australia, the exhibition provides a comprehensive overview of Australian contemporary art through the works of 35 Australian artists, collectives, and indigenous art centers. The Korean title of the exhibition, ‘경로를 재탐색합니다 (rediscover the route),’ derives from a phrase often heard while using navigation devices, and is juxtaposed with the English title, UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA. These dual titles aim to highlight the importance of “learning” itself, rather than the purpose of it, referring to the process of unlearning and relearning existing perceptions of Australia. Daniel Boyd, whose practice continuously questions the Western hegemonic gaze in interpreting and restoring the founding history of Australia with a unique artistic vocabulary, presents three of his paintings and one installation in UN/LEARNING AUSTRALIA. 

Boyd, who comes from an aboriginal background, introduces Untitled (TDHFTC) (2021) and Untitled (UT) (2021)—two paintings that reinterpret Australian history in a new lens. First showcased at the artist’s solo exhibition with Kukje Gallery last June, the paintings each depict Boyd’s sister and his grandma’s siblings. By sharing these personal images, Boyd connects his personal experiences and heritage to his ongoing interest in recalibrating the historical lens through which we view dominant historical narratives. Through Untitled (YWSITPIACLDTL) (2019), which was first shown at Boyd’s solo exhibition with Kukje Gallery Busan in 2019, the artist questions the conventional perceptions of beauty. Untitled (37°33’51.2”N 126°58’24.4”E) (2021), an installation commissioned by SeMA, entirely covers the museum’s glass façade—consisting of countless dots, the work directly references Boyd’s signature recurrent motif. These dots act as “lenses” through which one views the world and resemble the plurality and multiplicity of perspectives. The current exhibition discusses the vulnerabilities of this world affected by the unprecedented pandemic and inspires a more in-depth understanding of the values of “learning.” The show, which runs through March 6, 2022, can also be viewed through a variety of public programs and channels including the Instagram account @52artists52actions.