press machine of

What lies at the very bottom of the hierarchy in an era of relentless technological progress?

In her new exhibition *press machine of*, Baek Borim shifts focus from the extinction of all humankind — the theme of her 2023 show *long hair* — to the possible extinction of specific social classes: those deemed replaceable in the new technocratic order.

At the center are “pressed objects” — hundreds of identical items, handmade through repetitive gestures. Sold for a symbolic price of 990 won, they reference the cheap, unnecessary products found on overseas shopping platforms. These objects serve no real purpose, yet consumer behavior remains drawn to them, reshaping habits and accelerating the obsolescence of traditional labor.

Within the exhibition, Baek Borim performs live, repeating the same gesture over and over, effectively becoming a “lower-tier component” in a production machine. Her body functions as a replaceable part, endlessly creating meaningless things.

The exhibition reflects on the human as a mechanical substitute — a silent, overlooked piece of the system, worn down and rendered invisible by the demands of technological efficiency.