Koo Jeong A: KANGSE X Zurich—Mapping the Forces of Spatial Strength

Koo Jeong A KANGSE X Zurich is a radical experiment in perception in which the artist transforms Hauser & Wirth into a multisensory laboratory.

BY KAZEEM ADELEKE

Fresh off the heels of a landmark presentation at the 2024 Venice Biennale, Koo Jeong A has brought their conceptual universe to Hauser & Wirth Zurich with KANGSE X. The exhibition, running through May 2026 at the gallery’s Limmatstrasse location, is a significant evolution in the artist’s career. By blending traditional bronze casting with experimental phosphorescence and olfactory elements, the show explores Kangse—a Korean term for “spatial strength”—testing the limits of gravity and human perception within the gallery walls.

The Immaterial Physics of KANGSE X in Zurich

New bronze sculptures of Kangse stand at the center of the show. This embryonic, mischievous figure is now a staple of Koo’s lexicon. These figures balance precariously on a single toe, as seen in the gravity-defying KANGSE SpSt (2024). Consequently, they appear to float within an interstellar vacuum. These works are far more than static objects. They map the “poetry of the void” by referencing complex mathematical structures, such as Diophantine equations and Fermat’s Last Theorem. To understand the origins of this spatial experiment, watch the artist discuss the intersection of scent and sculpture in this documentary on their Venice Biennale pavilion:

The sculptural experience is further complicated by LAVA X (2025). Koo continues to build on the “scent portrait” of the Korean peninsula first developed for the Venice Biennale’s Odorama Cities. This specific work emits a persistent fragrance. This scent transforms the gallery into a thick, multisensory medium. By collapsing the distance between touch and smell, Koo forces the viewer to acknowledge a new reality. Space is never truly empty.

Phosphorescence and the OUSSS Horizon

Koo utilizes phosphorescent pigments to turn these canvases into temporal objects. During the day, they appear as minimalist white meditations. However, as darkness falls, they reveal a haunting, bioluminescent glow. These stars act as a portal to the Land of OUSSS. This is Koo’s long-standing imagined world where animation, mathematics, and spatial imagination finally converge.

This exhibition coincides with Koo’s major solo show LAND OF OUSSS [GRAVITTA] at Kunsthaus Bregenz. Together, these shows create a regional dialogue between Peter Zumthor’s architecture and Koo’s “spatial strength.” Koo Jeong A utilizes levitating magnets in DENSITY X and glowing paths in their iconic skatepark designs. Through these media, the artist proves a vital point. The most powerful forces shaping our reality—gravity, magnetism, and memory—are often the ones we cannot see.

Related from Artcentron

• Koo Jeong A: A Surreal Journey into OUSSS – Revisit our coverage of the artist’s landmark 3D film and the origins of the Otro
• Venice Biennale 2024: The Best of the National Pavilions – Explore more immersive installations from the event that inspired KANGSE X.