The Museum Project (Korean: 뮤지얼 프로젝트) by Atta Kim, made between 1995 and 2002 across various sites in Korea, presents boxed human figures displayed in everyday locations to examine existence, identity, and observation. Created during a decade marked by rapid globalization and shifts in contemporary art, the project was Kim's first to be widely shown outside Korea. Philosophically grounded, the project draws on Zen Buddhism, Heidegger, and G.I. Gurdjieff, reflecting a deep engagement with Eastern and Western thought.
The Museum Project interrogates human typologies and societal constructs. Sub-series such as "People," "Jesus," and "Nirvana" highlight collective behaviors and belief systems, while the "Holocaust" and "War Veteran" address the legacy of violence and historical trauma. The "Field" series, meanwhile, situates boxed subjects in diverse outdoor environments, including forests and coastal areas, further emphasizing themes of displacement and the fragility of human presence amid nature. At the heart of the project is Kim's proposition that every being has intrinsic worth. By encasing people in transparent boxes placed in public or natural settings, Kim not only preserves them as "contemporary treasures" but also compels viewers to confront issues of surveillance, alienation, and the tension between authentic selfhood and societal roles.
Visually, the project employs a consistent device: clear acrylic or glass cases framing individuals who are often nude, still, and isolated. The boxes act as both physical enclosures and symbolic thresholds, heightening the observer's awareness of the display. Mood shifts across the project: some images evoke serenity and introspection, while others suggest desolation or catastrophe, particularly in the more politically charged series. The physical act of placing people inside boxes—including Kim himself—blurs the line between performance, photography, and anthropological study. This embodied approach underlines his view that the present moment, once documented, becomes an artifact.
The Museum Project was exhibited internationally, including at the 25th São Paulo Biennial in 2002, and was later published as a monograph by Aperture in 2005, marking the foundation’s first book on a Korean photographer. Its presentation in subsequent exhibitions, such as the Venice Biennale (2009) and a solo show at the International Center of Photography (2006), contributed to its recognition as a significant work within contemporary Korean photography.
