Heesoo Kwon’s inaugural solo museum exhibition, Leymusoom Garden: Following Naked Dancing and Long Dreaming, delves into a profound spiritual exploration that intertwines Korean shamanistic traditions, indigenous perspectives, and a deep connection to ancestral lands. Through her multimedia installation, Kwon extends the queer feminist utopian digital realm of Leymusoom into a tangible garden space, amplifying themes of women’s liberation and desire, particularly through the evocative concept of “Naked Dancing.”
The exhibition’s title, inspired by Chung Hyun Kyung’s essay “Following Naked Dancing and Long Dreaming,” hints at a central metaphor for spiritual and physical freedom that Kwon masterfully visualizes. “Naked dancing,” in this context, is not literal but symbolic, representing a shedding of societal constraints, patriarchal expectations, and historical burdens. It embodies a return to a primal, uninhibited state of being, deeply connected to nature and ancestral wisdom. This concept resonates throughout Leymusoom Garden, as Kwon navigates generational trauma and envisions a feminist utopia.
Her latest video piece, also titled Leymusoom Garden, further explores this theme, drawing upon Korean shamanistic worldviews, the Dokkaebi folk myth, the Mago creator myth, and the Skywoman myth. These narratives, rich in symbolism and spiritual significance, parallel the idea of “naked dancing” as a form of ecstatic expression and spiritual communion. Kwon also incorporates her female ancestors and her communities from the Leymusoom Collective and the Dong Ji Collective, grounding this spiritual dance in personal and collective histories.
The garden itself, emulating her maternal grandparents’ home in Gongju-si, South Korea and her current land in the Ramaytush Ohlone territory, serves as a physical manifestation of this spiritual space. Within this sanctuary, Kwon engages in a symbolic “naked dance” with her past, confronting generational trauma by gathering oral histories from elders. She clears away the “weeds” of past traumas and cultivates new possibilities, sowing seeds of resilience and liberation. This act of cultivation mirrors the freedom and vulnerability inherent in “naked dancing,” a dance of self-discovery and healing.
Kwon’s artistic practice positions her as a multifaceted figure—artist, activist, archivist, anthropologist, and religious leader—all contributing to the construction of feminist utopias in the digital sphere. Leymusoom, her autobiographical feminist religion initiated in 2017, stands as a testament to her resistance against misogyny and a framework for examining her family’s history. Through digital archiving, 3D scanning, and animation, Kwon employs technology as ritualistic tools, akin to shamanistic practices. These tools enable her to regenerate the lives of her female ancestors, transcending the limitations of time and space, and to envision queer futures rooted in her utopian dreams. Leymusoom, therefore, becomes the choreography for her “naked dance”—a practice of reimagining time, redefining love, and confronting sacrifice, violence, and trauma.
The exhibition, Leymusoom Garden, ultimately invites viewers to contemplate their own ancestral connections and personal narratives in relation to the land. It encourages a metaphorical “naked dance”—a stripping away of societal artifice to reveal a deeper, more authentic connection to oneself and the world. Through Heesoo Kwon’s evocative work, “naked dancing” becomes a powerful symbol of spiritual liberation, ancestral reverence, and the ongoing pursuit of feminist utopia.
Leymusoom Garden at the ICA San José is generously supported by the Ronald Whittier Family Foundation, the SJICA Board-directed 2020 Fund, and Micki Meng Gallery. Additional support is provided by the City of San José’s Office of Cultural Affairs and numerous foundations and organizations committed to the arts. In-kind support has been provided by Kelly Moore Paints. The exhibition is curated by Zoë Latzer, Curator and Director of Public Programs. Special gratitude is extended to Andrew Sungtaek Ingersoll, Julie Moon, Danna Kim, Youjin Han, Kazumi Chin, Jane Kang, Robert Borsdorf, Dong Ji Collective, Leymusoom Collective, and Kwon’s family, with particular thanks to Chung Hyun Kyung for the inspiring essay title.
