USI Students Explore the Future of Cinema Through Korean Video Art
Students from the Bachelor of the Faculty of Communication, Culture and Society at the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) recently visited the exhibition “K-Now! Korean Video Art Today” at the Art Museum of Italian Switzerland (MASI) in Lugano. The visit was designed to complement the course Preparing for the Future of Cinema and the Audiovisual Arts, led by Professor Kevin B. Lee and doctoral researcher Flavia Mazzarino.
Immersive Exploration of Contemporary Korean Art
The exhibition, on view at MASI until July 19, 2026, showcases the work of eight emerging Korean artists and collectives. Curated by Francesca Benini and Your Yun Moon, former deputy director of the Art Sonje Center in Seoul, the show offers an immersive experience exploring themes relevant to a rapidly changing global landscape.
Bridging Art and Academia
The artworks address critical issues such as the intersection of technology and the human body, the complexities of history and memory, the impact of tradition and migration, and the challenges of contemporary working life. Professor Lee’s course examines how emerging technologies and evolving media ecosystems are reshaping cinema and the moving image, and the exhibition provided a practical context for these discussions. The direct engagement with the art offered students a “vivid and experiential framework” for understanding the course’s central questions – namely, what it means to envision and prepare for the future of the moving image.
Kevin B. Lee’s Expertise at USI
Kevin B. Lee is the Locarno Film Festival Professor for the Future of Cinema and the Audiovisual Arts at USI. USI’s profile highlights his extensive work as a filmmaker, media artist, and critic, including the creation of over 360 video essays. His award-winning “Transformers: The Premake” introduced the “desktop documentary” format, and his work has been screened at prestigious venues like the Museum of Modern Art and the Berlinale. The University of Chicago Press notes that Lee is as well leading the Swiss National Science Foundation research project “The Video Essay: Memories, Ecologies, Bodies.”
About MASI Lugano
The Art Museum of Italian Switzerland (MASI) in Lugano is a leading cultural institution in the region. MASI’s website provides further details about the “K-Now! Korean Video Art Today” exhibition and other upcoming events.