Artists

Rachel Youn

Press release

Titled “Pleasure Circuit,” the exhibition showcases Youn’s latest sculptures and drawings, which explore the space between automated satisfaction and inevitable failure. Youn transforms and repurposes secondhand objects into dynamic kinetic sculptures that oscillate between striving for self-improvement and embracing failure. By repurposing materials and devices sourced through flea markets and online secondhand shopping—such as baby swings, massagers, and exercise machines—Youn examines how plastic gears, screws, fabric, and rubber work together to mimic the movements of a masseuse, a mother’s cradling arms, a personal trainer, or a house cleaner.

How do cheaply made products, which promise convenience, self-improvement, and companionship, often fall short of delivering on these expectations? In what ways do anthropomorphized machines that simulate acts of care and service mirror parasocial relationships with laboring bodies?

In “Pleasure Circuit,” Youn extends their focus to larger systems of automation and entertainment, such as amusement parks, Sushi conveyor belts, treadmills, and runways. Shedding light on the expectations and failures inherent in these transformative experiences, the exhibition contemplates themes of labor performance, the relentless pursuit of productivity, and the nuanced pleasure found in repetition.