Many Worlds Over
During the pandemic, artist Ayoung Kim was confined to her studio and relied on delivery apps for her daily meals. This experience sparked profound questions, culminating in her 2022 work, "Delivery Dancer's Sphere." Two years later, she received the ACC Future Prize and created "Delivery Dancer's Arc: Inverse." Discover more about her creative journey in the interview.
Hello! Please introduce yourself.
My name is Ayoung Kim, and I am a contemporary and media artist. I primarily create fictional worlds using various media.
Could you explain the world of your work "Delivery Dancer" for those who may not be familiar with it?
"Delivery Dancer's Arc: Inverse," showcased at the ACC, and "Delivery Dancer's Arc: 0° Receiver," commissioned by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), are the latest additions to my 'Delivery Dancer' cycle, which began in 2022. The first work in the cycle, "Delivery Dancer's Sphere," is a single-channel video installation that tells the story of Ernst Mo, one of the top drivers for the delivery app "Delivery Dancer" in a fictional Seoul. This piece emerged from questions I pondered while confined to my studio during the pandemic, ordering food through delivery apps daily.
I thought, "The drivers race through an empty city, deliver the food, and immediately take off again. They have no interaction with us and remain anonymous, doing invisible work." The question of where these people came from and where they were going became the starting point for my work. I researched platform work, gig work, invisible work known as "ghost work," algorithm-based work, and the increasing control by algorithms. This research helped me understand a wide range of phenomena in today's society.
For "Delivery Dancer's Sphere," I aimed to fold and intertwine space and time to create a labyrinth. After completing the project in 2022, the feedback was very positive, and I was awarded the ACC Future Prize. This led to the creation of the follow-up work, "Delivery Dancer's Arc: Inverse." In this piece, I crafted a new, underground world called Novaria, where ancient and modern calendars collide. It also tells the story of resistance through two main characters who strive to restore the concept of time and the cosmology of antiquity.
You mentioned that you used generative AI for the first time in your 2024 works, "Delivery Dancer's Arc: Inverse" and "Delivery Dancer's Arc: 0° Receiver." As an artist, how do you view technological development and the use of new technologies?
In every era, new technologies give rise to new discourses and art forms, which I find fascinating. With this mindset, I've conducted extensive research and development on how deeply we can communicate with generative AI. Throughout this process, I've discovered many intriguing aspects. Firstly, I realized that understanding the grammar of a generative AI model is essential for effective communication. It's clear to me that AI is merely a tool and cannot develop its own will. It still lacks the feelings, pain, and agony necessary for creative processes.
At present, a creative process carried out solely by AI is impossible if humans are the target audience. AI-generated works only gain significance when humans recognize their value. However, this only applies if humans are the target group. If we ever reach a point where AIs appreciate each other's works, we will have entered a realm beyond human consciousness.
Everyone who has worked with AI agrees that understanding its grammar is crucial. I found this very interesting. It involves asking a question, receiving an unexpected result, and then repeatedly refining and adjusting the question. I call this process "care work." It's like communicating with a child who can't express themselves clearly yet, constantly trying to understand their intentions and reach a conclusion in different ways.
New technologies are emerging every day, and soon it will be hard to imagine the world without them. In my view, contemporary art and culture can distinguish themselves from industry developments by distorting or reconstructing these technologies. This is how art has always survived. Therefore, artists today must continually develop not only their technological skills but also their "literacy" regarding technologies, even if it's exhausting.
If they don't, technology will become an increasingly incomprehensible and inscrutable existence. In our technologically advanced society, more and more areas are turning into a black box. The algorithms of big tech companies, in particular, are so secretive and complex that it's almost impossible to understand their essence. That's why I believe efforts to understand the mechanisms of generative AI are necessary in whatever form at this point in time.
You seem to like the genres of fantasy and science fiction, as well as combinations of the two. What is the appeal of these genres for you?
After completing my studies in the UK, I participated in a residency program in Germany, where I developed a keen awareness of modernization processes in Europe and Korea. At that time, I had already been working on projects that examined modernity in Korea and had studied historical materials in depth. Initially, I created fictional worlds based on historical facts, but I encountered limitations when experimenting with aesthetic autonomy. Dealing with historical events made me cautious, so I wondered how I could express aesthetic autonomy more freely. Around 2017, I was greatly influenced by the works of fantastic novelists.
Afrofuturism, especially the works of Octavia Butler, and the writings of female or queer SF authors, as well as those featuring minorities, greatly appealed to me. I particularly admire Djuna, a Korean SF writer, whom I consider a national treasure. Influenced by these authors, I realized that SF novels about minorities are not just amusing experiments; they use fantasy and science fiction as political and aesthetic methodologies to perceive reality in new ways. This realization inspired me to maintain a problem-conscious view of the world while developing aesthetic autonomy. Consequently, I began creating freely invented fictional works.
You have a pronounced talent for illuminating real problems relating to migration, women or refugees through virtual imagination. What themes and forms can be found in the exhibition “Many Worlds Over”, which has been taking place at Hamburger Bahnhof - Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart since February 2025?
(Shows a simulation of the exhibition space)
The exhibition "Many Worlds Over" showcases a significant portion of my "Delivery Dancer" series. It spans all five rooms on the first floor. The title "Many Worlds Over" was chosen after extensive discussions with the exhibition's curators, Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, and curator Charlotte Knaup. My works are inspired by the theory of possible worlds. Each piece functions as a self-contained world, yet they also suggest the idea of being different versions of a single world. I aimed to create environments where, as you move through the exhibition, you continually question whether you're in the same space at a different time or encountering a future version of yourself. This experience of familiar déjà vu, with worlds that subtly shift, is why we settled on the title "Many Worlds Over."
When you enter the exhibition, you'll see mirrors reflecting your image. Through an optical illusion created by countless mirrors, visitors repeatedly encounter their double or triple reflections. The two main female characters in "Delivery Dancer's Arc," Ernst Mo and En Storm, who look identical, also create a sense of duality. I used industrial frame modules to design a space resembling a shipping warehouse, forming a labyrinthine structure where time and space intertwine. The exhibition features various media, starting with the video from "Delivery Dancer's Sphere," the first work in the "Delivery Dancer" series. It includes installations like the "Orbit Dance Series," derived from this work, and the game "Stipulation," culminating in the latest piece, the three-channel video installation "Delivery Dancer's Arc: 0° Receiver."
Has this expanded the genre from “seeing” to “experiencing”? It also sounds like the exhibition is quite large?
Yes, that's correct. The audiovisual experience is quite diverse, and the exhibition also features installations and sculptures, including works with mannequins. Thankfully, the preparations went smoothly, and the shipping of the pieces was seamless. The catalog, published by Hamburger Bahnhof for each exhibition, has been specially designed this time. It's very lightweight, making it easy to carry around like a handbook, and it's also very reasonably priced.
It's extraordinary that, in the digital era, information isn't just on our cell phones but also in the paper medium of the catalog, extending the experience beyond the museum space. Does the catalog contain any special content?
When planning the exhibition, Sam Bardaouil found the role of Korean webtoon subculture in my work particularly fascinating. The curators showed great interest in webtoons, which are a significant part of my work but still relatively unknown in Germany. They were especially intrigued by "GL (Girls' Love)," a subgenre focusing on queer relationships between women. My work is heavily influenced by webtoons and web novels, so I understood their curiosity. In the wallpaper installation "Evening Peak Time Is Back," I used characters developed in collaboration with webtoon artist 1172, based on the GL webtoon style. As a long-time fan of this genre, I wanted to amplify the voices of queer women.
This time, the catalog includes excerpts from two GL webtoon works: "Kill Switch" by 1172 and "Haegu (Sea Trench)" by cosmos, both intended for adults. In consultation with the artists, we selected and edited images for the layout. These works appear repeatedly on full pages of the catalog. Since the term GL isn't widely used in Europe, the curators found this genre particularly interesting and felt a strong need to showcase it.
Was there a particular reason why this exhibition is being held at the Hamburger Bahnhof?
Before I dive into this, I want to thank you for the invitation. My one-year residency at Künstlerhaus Betanien in Berlin in 2011 was a truly happy and instructive time for me. It greatly influenced my development as an artist, and the exchange with other artists there led to many synergies. This period holds a special place in my memories of youth.
During that time, Hamburger Bahnhof was my favorite art museum. It's the epicenter of contemporary art, and everyone dreams of having an exhibition there. At the beginning of last year, I suddenly wondered what it would be like to have a solo exhibition at Hamburger Bahnhof one day. I dreamed about it, and when Sam Bardaouil contacted me just a few months later, I was surprised and delighted by the news.
It's like a movie!
I feel incredibly grateful. Having a solo exhibition in a German national museum makes this moment very significant and special for me. My current stage of development as an artist will greatly benefit my future work. I have high hopes that this exhibition will be a turning point and open up new opportunities for me.
What were the particular challenges in preparing for this exhibition?
As existing works were curated in a new context for this exhibition, I was very excited to see how the curators would combine them. We had many brainstorming meetings. The fact that the exhibition was spread across five rooms was a particular challenge. My previous exhibitions have either taken place in one large room or have been solo exhibitions focused on a single project. This was the first time a solo exhibition was assembled from multiple works. Various solutions were proposed, and I was impressed by the curators' sense of scenography, spatial design, and wayfinding.
I was really impressed by how the exhibition incorporated concepts like meeting your own clone, exploring infinite possible worlds, and the possibility of multiple timelines. It was a pleasure to see that my work could be exhibited in this way.
What should visitors to the exhibition pay particular attention to?
The exhibition is like a labyrinth, constantly overlapping and expanding into different corners. Visitors will experience repeatedly encountering another self from another world. I hope they are willing to lose themselves and imagine countless possible worlds. This exhibition mirrors life today, where technology permeates every aspect. I wanted to propose a new way of thinking about the present through fantasy and fiction.
What are your plans after the exhibition at Hamburger Bahnhof?
My next exhibition is a solo show at Atelier Hermes in Seoul, starting at the end of March. In May, I'll be part of an exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of Tate Modern, where works from the gallery's collection, including my "Delivery Dancer's Sphere," will be displayed. In November, I'll have a solo exhibition at MoMA PS1 in New York, and I'll also be showcasing a new work at the New York Performing Arts Biennial, which I'm really looking forward to.
As I mentioned before, I'm a big fan of Djuna's novels. Currently, I'm working on an animation series called "Æon Flux," produced for MTV in the early 1990s by Korean-American Peter Chung. It follows an Asian assassin in a futuristic, dystopian world. The plot is quite confusing, with the main character being killed off in every episode, only to reappear in the next one as if nothing happened. This series made a big impression on me and has inspired much of my work. I'm using the action scenes from the series as a starting point for a new piece I'm currently working on.
We look forward to seeing your upcoming works. Thank you very much for the interview!
Thank you!
My name is Ayoung Kim, and I am a contemporary and media artist. I primarily create fictional worlds using various media.
Could you explain the world of your work "Delivery Dancer" for those who may not be familiar with it?
"Delivery Dancer's Arc: Inverse," showcased at the ACC, and "Delivery Dancer's Arc: 0° Receiver," commissioned by the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI), are the latest additions to my 'Delivery Dancer' cycle, which began in 2022. The first work in the cycle, "Delivery Dancer's Sphere," is a single-channel video installation that tells the story of Ernst Mo, one of the top drivers for the delivery app "Delivery Dancer" in a fictional Seoul. This piece emerged from questions I pondered while confined to my studio during the pandemic, ordering food through delivery apps daily.
I thought, "The drivers race through an empty city, deliver the food, and immediately take off again. They have no interaction with us and remain anonymous, doing invisible work." The question of where these people came from and where they were going became the starting point for my work. I researched platform work, gig work, invisible work known as "ghost work," algorithm-based work, and the increasing control by algorithms. This research helped me understand a wide range of phenomena in today's society.
For "Delivery Dancer's Sphere," I aimed to fold and intertwine space and time to create a labyrinth. After completing the project in 2022, the feedback was very positive, and I was awarded the ACC Future Prize. This led to the creation of the follow-up work, "Delivery Dancer's Arc: Inverse." In this piece, I crafted a new, underground world called Novaria, where ancient and modern calendars collide. It also tells the story of resistance through two main characters who strive to restore the concept of time and the cosmology of antiquity.
In every era, new technologies give rise to new discourses and art forms, which I find fascinating. With this mindset, I've conducted extensive research and development on how deeply we can communicate with generative AI. Throughout this process, I've discovered many intriguing aspects. Firstly, I realized that understanding the grammar of a generative AI model is essential for effective communication. It's clear to me that AI is merely a tool and cannot develop its own will. It still lacks the feelings, pain, and agony necessary for creative processes.
At present, a creative process carried out solely by AI is impossible if humans are the target audience. AI-generated works only gain significance when humans recognize their value. However, this only applies if humans are the target group. If we ever reach a point where AIs appreciate each other's works, we will have entered a realm beyond human consciousness.
Everyone who has worked with AI agrees that understanding its grammar is crucial. I found this very interesting. It involves asking a question, receiving an unexpected result, and then repeatedly refining and adjusting the question. I call this process "care work." It's like communicating with a child who can't express themselves clearly yet, constantly trying to understand their intentions and reach a conclusion in different ways.
New technologies are emerging every day, and soon it will be hard to imagine the world without them. In my view, contemporary art and culture can distinguish themselves from industry developments by distorting or reconstructing these technologies. This is how art has always survived. Therefore, artists today must continually develop not only their technological skills but also their "literacy" regarding technologies, even if it's exhausting.
If they don't, technology will become an increasingly incomprehensible and inscrutable existence. In our technologically advanced society, more and more areas are turning into a black box. The algorithms of big tech companies, in particular, are so secretive and complex that it's almost impossible to understand their essence. That's why I believe efforts to understand the mechanisms of generative AI are necessary in whatever form at this point in time.
You seem to like the genres of fantasy and science fiction, as well as combinations of the two. What is the appeal of these genres for you?
After completing my studies in the UK, I participated in a residency program in Germany, where I developed a keen awareness of modernization processes in Europe and Korea. At that time, I had already been working on projects that examined modernity in Korea and had studied historical materials in depth. Initially, I created fictional worlds based on historical facts, but I encountered limitations when experimenting with aesthetic autonomy. Dealing with historical events made me cautious, so I wondered how I could express aesthetic autonomy more freely. Around 2017, I was greatly influenced by the works of fantastic novelists.
Afrofuturism, especially the works of Octavia Butler, and the writings of female or queer SF authors, as well as those featuring minorities, greatly appealed to me. I particularly admire Djuna, a Korean SF writer, whom I consider a national treasure. Influenced by these authors, I realized that SF novels about minorities are not just amusing experiments; they use fantasy and science fiction as political and aesthetic methodologies to perceive reality in new ways. This realization inspired me to maintain a problem-conscious view of the world while developing aesthetic autonomy. Consequently, I began creating freely invented fictional works.
You have a pronounced talent for illuminating real problems relating to migration, women or refugees through virtual imagination. What themes and forms can be found in the exhibition “Many Worlds Over”, which has been taking place at Hamburger Bahnhof - Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart since February 2025?
(Shows a simulation of the exhibition space)
The exhibition "Many Worlds Over" showcases a significant portion of my "Delivery Dancer" series. It spans all five rooms on the first floor. The title "Many Worlds Over" was chosen after extensive discussions with the exhibition's curators, Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath, and curator Charlotte Knaup. My works are inspired by the theory of possible worlds. Each piece functions as a self-contained world, yet they also suggest the idea of being different versions of a single world. I aimed to create environments where, as you move through the exhibition, you continually question whether you're in the same space at a different time or encountering a future version of yourself. This experience of familiar déjà vu, with worlds that subtly shift, is why we settled on the title "Many Worlds Over."
When you enter the exhibition, you'll see mirrors reflecting your image. Through an optical illusion created by countless mirrors, visitors repeatedly encounter their double or triple reflections. The two main female characters in "Delivery Dancer's Arc," Ernst Mo and En Storm, who look identical, also create a sense of duality. I used industrial frame modules to design a space resembling a shipping warehouse, forming a labyrinthine structure where time and space intertwine. The exhibition features various media, starting with the video from "Delivery Dancer's Sphere," the first work in the "Delivery Dancer" series. It includes installations like the "Orbit Dance Series," derived from this work, and the game "Stipulation," culminating in the latest piece, the three-channel video installation "Delivery Dancer's Arc: 0° Receiver."
Yes, that's correct. The audiovisual experience is quite diverse, and the exhibition also features installations and sculptures, including works with mannequins. Thankfully, the preparations went smoothly, and the shipping of the pieces was seamless. The catalog, published by Hamburger Bahnhof for each exhibition, has been specially designed this time. It's very lightweight, making it easy to carry around like a handbook, and it's also very reasonably priced.
It's extraordinary that, in the digital era, information isn't just on our cell phones but also in the paper medium of the catalog, extending the experience beyond the museum space. Does the catalog contain any special content?
When planning the exhibition, Sam Bardaouil found the role of Korean webtoon subculture in my work particularly fascinating. The curators showed great interest in webtoons, which are a significant part of my work but still relatively unknown in Germany. They were especially intrigued by "GL (Girls' Love)," a subgenre focusing on queer relationships between women. My work is heavily influenced by webtoons and web novels, so I understood their curiosity. In the wallpaper installation "Evening Peak Time Is Back," I used characters developed in collaboration with webtoon artist 1172, based on the GL webtoon style. As a long-time fan of this genre, I wanted to amplify the voices of queer women.
This time, the catalog includes excerpts from two GL webtoon works: "Kill Switch" by 1172 and "Haegu (Sea Trench)" by cosmos, both intended for adults. In consultation with the artists, we selected and edited images for the layout. These works appear repeatedly on full pages of the catalog. Since the term GL isn't widely used in Europe, the curators found this genre particularly interesting and felt a strong need to showcase it.
Was there a particular reason why this exhibition is being held at the Hamburger Bahnhof?
Before I dive into this, I want to thank you for the invitation. My one-year residency at Künstlerhaus Betanien in Berlin in 2011 was a truly happy and instructive time for me. It greatly influenced my development as an artist, and the exchange with other artists there led to many synergies. This period holds a special place in my memories of youth.
During that time, Hamburger Bahnhof was my favorite art museum. It's the epicenter of contemporary art, and everyone dreams of having an exhibition there. At the beginning of last year, I suddenly wondered what it would be like to have a solo exhibition at Hamburger Bahnhof one day. I dreamed about it, and when Sam Bardaouil contacted me just a few months later, I was surprised and delighted by the news.
It's like a movie!
I feel incredibly grateful. Having a solo exhibition in a German national museum makes this moment very significant and special for me. My current stage of development as an artist will greatly benefit my future work. I have high hopes that this exhibition will be a turning point and open up new opportunities for me.
As existing works were curated in a new context for this exhibition, I was very excited to see how the curators would combine them. We had many brainstorming meetings. The fact that the exhibition was spread across five rooms was a particular challenge. My previous exhibitions have either taken place in one large room or have been solo exhibitions focused on a single project. This was the first time a solo exhibition was assembled from multiple works. Various solutions were proposed, and I was impressed by the curators' sense of scenography, spatial design, and wayfinding.
I was really impressed by how the exhibition incorporated concepts like meeting your own clone, exploring infinite possible worlds, and the possibility of multiple timelines. It was a pleasure to see that my work could be exhibited in this way.
What should visitors to the exhibition pay particular attention to?
The exhibition is like a labyrinth, constantly overlapping and expanding into different corners. Visitors will experience repeatedly encountering another self from another world. I hope they are willing to lose themselves and imagine countless possible worlds. This exhibition mirrors life today, where technology permeates every aspect. I wanted to propose a new way of thinking about the present through fantasy and fiction.
What are your plans after the exhibition at Hamburger Bahnhof?
My next exhibition is a solo show at Atelier Hermes in Seoul, starting at the end of March. In May, I'll be part of an exhibition celebrating the 25th anniversary of Tate Modern, where works from the gallery's collection, including my "Delivery Dancer's Sphere," will be displayed. In November, I'll have a solo exhibition at MoMA PS1 in New York, and I'll also be showcasing a new work at the New York Performing Arts Biennial, which I'm really looking forward to.
As I mentioned before, I'm a big fan of Djuna's novels. Currently, I'm working on an animation series called "Æon Flux," produced for MTV in the early 1990s by Korean-American Peter Chung. It follows an Asian assassin in a futuristic, dystopian world. The plot is quite confusing, with the main character being killed off in every episode, only to reappear in the next one as if nothing happened. This series made a big impression on me and has inspired much of my work. I'm using the action scenes from the series as a starting point for a new piece I'm currently working on.
We look forward to seeing your upcoming works. Thank you very much for the interview!
Thank you!
Ayoung Kim, a contemporary and media artist, explores historical, contemporary, and geopolitical themes through multidimensional, non-linear narratives. Since February 2025, she has been showcasing her work in a major solo exhibition at the Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin. In light of this event, the Goethe-Institut Korea conducted an interview with her.
