Jean-Michel Othoniel, Julian Opie, and Korakrit Arunanonchai participate in Ditto and Veto, a special exhibition on view at a multi-cultural art space HEREDIUM in Daejeon, Korea. Featuring 27 works by 19 contemporary artists, the exhibition highlights timely issues and sheds light on themes closely tied to social dilemmas through a range of media, including painting, sculpture, and installation.

The exhibition title Ditto and Veto combines two words: “Ditto,” meaning “the same,” and “Veto,” Latin for “to forbid.” These two seemingly opposing terms suggest a complex view that goes beyond binary divisions within the structures of approval and disapproval in contemporary society. Creating a space where diverse values can coexist, the exhibition is organized around five themes: ‘Modern Society and Human Alienation,’ ‘The Intersection of History and Identity,’ ‘Direct Speech on Socio-Political Issues,’ ‘Personal Experience and Social Prejudice,’ and ‘Subculture and Popular Culture.’

Among the exhibited works, Jean-Michel Othoniel’s Gold Lotus (2021), a stainless-steel bead sculpture cast in gold leaf, evokes empathy and recovery from discrimination and marginalization, like a lotus blooming from the mud. As an extension, Julian Opie’s two LED works from the Old Street Couple series align with the theme of alienation in contemporary society, evoking the emotions and stories of contemporary city dwellers through their continuous walking motions. Korakrit Arunanonchai presents Untitled (History Painting) (2021), a painting on denim scorched in flame in the process. The resulting work comprises the remnants of the burnt painting, ash, and photographs documenting the fire, revealing reflections on human history, memory, and Western-centric globalization and labor.

Setting a platform for dialogue and reflection through artworks that explore a wide range of themes including politics, economics, human rights, and culture, the exhibition runs through August 17, 2025.