Michael Dean: Garden of Delete

Barakat Contemporary presents Garden of Delete, the first exhibition of the British sculptor Michael Dean (b. 1977, UK) in Korea from 31st March to 30th May 2021. Born in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, Michael Dean has studied at the Goldsmiths University of London and has since gained international stature as one of the four finalists of the 2016 Turner Prize.

At the crux of his artistic work lies language, which Dean utilises as a medium that channels his thoughts and emotions, experimenting with its multisensory facets. The artist starts with the written forms of various genres — play scripts, poetry, typography — which are rendered into performative aspects of recitation, theatre, sounds, body prints and sculptures, that collectively form his body of works.

The primary medium of his work is sculpture, consisting of cement, sand, and water: materials that one encounters quotidianly on a daily basis, to which he adds pigment to create forms that resemble ancient scripts or abstracted figures. At Garden of Delete, the major installation works exhibited at theSkulpter Projekte Münster, Tate Britain, and Henry Moore Foundation, sculptures, drawings and publications will be on display including new works that will be shown to the public for the first time. We look forward to welcoming you to Michael Dean’s first exhibition in Korea, Garden of Delete.

• Performance: 3 April 2021, Saturday (16:00)

• Artist Talk: 3 April 2021, Saturday (16:40)

• The Panel: Michael Dean (artist), Namsee Kim (College of Art and Design, Ewha Womans University)