우리 Uri: We, Us, Our, IN/SITU, EXPO Chicago, April 24–27, 2025

In times of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty, we may feel forced to retreat inward and even relinquish our agency. Yet, paradoxically, it is this shared sense of fear that unites us. The artists associated with 단색화 (Dansaekhwa), highlighted in this year’s IN/SITU, provided historical context, having lived through Japanese occupation (1910-45), the Korean War (1950-53), and the authoritarian regimes of Park Chung-hee (1963-79) and Chun Doo-hwan (1980-88). Their experiences deeply resonating with today’s global climate. Nevertheless, they persisted, forging transformative cultural pathways with generational impact. Across the globe, artists continue to push forward in times when their safety and livelihoods are under threat, drawing strength not only from their individual practices but also from broader communities of creators and cultural practitioners, determined to persevere and shape a generative future.   

우리 (uri)—meaning "we," "us," or “our"—is not just a term. It reflects an embodied understanding of belonging to and contributing to a collective. Expounding upon 우리, the 2025 IN/SITU featured artists working in duos, collaboratives, and cooperatives, including families and those tied to artistic movements. 우리 foregrounded intentional practices of exchange, co-authorship, and co-creation, urgently reminding us of our place within and responsibility to a complex and entwined sociocultural fabric. 

Images: EXPO CHICAGO and Casey Kelbaugh Associates