Jinhan Ko is a Vancouver-based artist and a writer. He actively engages in a social practice that brings people together for performances, lectures, concerts, and other participatory activities. Ko is one of the founding members of Instant Coffee, a service based artist collective that facilitates artist’s projects, from exhibiting visual work to publishing artist’s projects. The collective has shown and organized events internationally including Subdivision, Hamburg; Light Bar Research and Residency, Kuenstlerhaeuser Worpswede, Germany and Flaggfabrikken/Bergen Kunsthall, Bergen, Norway.
Your secret art venue when you seek peace and quiet
My colleague, Khan and I once visited Auto World, a beautiful Car Museum in heart of Brussels, mind you it was a weekday but it was so peaceful and beautiful. Due to the fact that their collection started with the very early examples of 19th century automobiles to the peak automobiles of 1970’s makes you realize cars really do belong in a museum and when cars are not running they are objects of such beauty and admiration fitting the best description of art and technology.
A museum gift shop that you never leave empty handed
A place we always stop before getting back on the highway in Montreal is Canadian Centre for Architecture. Some of the best exhibitions about art and architecture have taken place in this establishment but we always make a point of stopping at their book store because whoever their buyer is, they always have the greatest selection of books and magazines (art, architecture, design, cultural theory and other relevant things) we always have to spend way more money than good senses will dictate.
Your museum with a wow-factor
It was early 90’s, I was a student when visiting Minneapolis, and Weisman Art Museum at University of Minnesota made an impression on me. It was the first time I had seen a building designed by Frank Gehry and its specialness and newness was made apparent to me. It seemed so special and original at the time but I have since changed my mind about the nature of Gehry’s design in its lack of connection between inside and outside and unsustainable nature and uses of material etc etc.
