Art transcends boundaries, creating spaces where people can connect, interact, and transform their surroundings. In this DLD Future Hub conversation, artist Koo Jeong A and curator Xue Tan explore the role of art in activating public spaces, focusing on Koo’s remarkable skate park series and her latest work, Haus der Magnet at Haus der Kunst in Munich.
Koo’s practice revolves around intangible forces – energy, light, atmosphere – and aims to turn spaces into living ecosystems of social engagement. “Art has to be seen, but also felt differently,” she explains.
Koo’s work is informed by local energy and culture. In Munich, she was inspired by Eisbach surfers on the Isar river and sought to reflect the city’s dynamic, outdoor spirit.
Similarly, at the Luma Foundation in Arles, she incorporated elements of the community’s desire for public spaces. “The public, the community, is so important for your work”, Xue Tan observes. “They have to come to the art piece to activate it.”
Watch the video to learn more about Koo Jeong A’s work.
