zero o’clock

online exhibition launched 10 september 2020, assembly point

[VIEW THE EXHIBITION ONLINE HERE]

Artists: Christina Darras, Rebecca Diele, Chelle Destefano, Ebony Hickey, Brodie Kokkinos, Karleng Lim, Lia Dewey Morgan, Astrid Mulder, Katie Paine, Jen Valender
Curator: Sophia Cai

“But this day will be over
When the minute and second hands overlap
The world holds its breath for a little while”

Translated lyrics from 00:00 (Zero O’Clock) by BTS, 2020 (Click here to listen to the audiotrack or click this link for captioned lyrics)

Zero O’Clock is an online exhibition sparked and inspired by the current period of lockdown and isolation in Victoria, Australia. It asks artists currently studying at the Victorian College of Arts, University of Melbourne, to consider themes broadly related to ideas of time and ‘timelessness’, reflecting on ideas of beginnings, ends, and everything in-between. The title of the show is a nod to the mega pop group BTS, and pays homage to both the universality and individuality contained within their music. Inspired by the lyrics of the song, the exhibition asks “at 00:00 when the clock resets, can we find comfort in the promise of a new day?”  In particular, I was interested in artistic practices that considered counteractions to grind culture, burn-out culture, and expectations of output by focusing on the minutiae, the interpersonal, rest, solidarity and radical love. The resulting exhibition brings together works by 10 artists whose works broadly explore the above themes, with a particular recognition of the experience of time from the position of the present. 

This project is dedicated to BTS and to ARMY worldwide. I hope this project can bring you a some comfort, just like BTS bring me. SC.