Mercurial
21.04.26 – 02.08.26
Yunchul Kim
In Mercurial, 2024, Korean artist Yunchul Kim presents a large-scale kinetic installation in which two suspended sculptures pulse and move in an ever-changing pattern. Composed of hundreds of silver filaments, the structures form spiraling shapes that slowly rotate and shift direction – like a system in motion.
The work draws on physical phenomena such as chirality and torsional instability, where forms may appear symmetrical without being so, and where movement emerges unpredictably. The twisted structures respond to magnetic fields, creating a dynamic choreography that can evoke satellites in orbit or particles in the cosmos.
Mercurial explores the relationship between humans and technology in a world where systems increasingly operate beyond direct control. The hovering forms may resemble robots, but their movements are not governed by human input—they arise from physical forces and internal processes.
Rooted in science, technology, and philosophy, the work invites viewers into a constantly shifting environment where the boundaries between the organic and the technological are continually redrawn.
Yunchul Kim, Mercurial, 2024. Installation view at Copenhagen Contemporary, 2025 Photo: David Stjernholm
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The next 7 days at Copenhagen Contemporary