Lynn Hershman Leeson’s art foretold tech’s impact on identity
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American artist Lynn Hershman Leeson presented her first museum solo show in Asia at the Seoul Museum of Art in central Seoul.
The exhibition, “Lynn Hershman Leeson: First Person Plural,” displays six decades of her work exploring how people construct their identities with new technologies. Hershman Leeson began experimenting with these themes in the 1960s, using materials like wax and tape recorders, and continued through the eras of laserdiscs, genetic engineering, and artificial intelligence.
Her work often features invented personas, notably “Roberta Breitmore,” a character she embodied for years, even obtaining identification under that name. The exhibition traces the evolution of these explorations, showing how technology increasingly intersects with the human form, from breathing wax casts of her face to a doll with cameras for eyes. Later pieces include a cyborg character who discusses the history of AI and warfare, and explorations of genetic engineering and the pursuit of longevity.
The artist’s earlier, more provocative works give way to a more observational stance in the final section of the exhibit, reflecting a sense of curiosity about rapidly advancing technology. Though some of the technology displayed now appears dated, the core questions Hershman Leeson raises about technology’s impact on humanity remain relevant, and the exhibition runs through February 21, 2027.
