Lehmann Maupin Seoul presents Many Things All at Once, a dynamic presentation of new and recent work by artist Tom Friedman. Concerned with ideas of perception, logic, and assumption, Friedman’s practice engages questions of looking and the purpose of art today. Particularly interested in how our preconceptions influence how we understand the world, Friedman’s work often employs trompe l'oeil effects that make viewers stop and look—and then look again. Known for his meticulous attention to detail and astounding craftsmanship, Friedman creates sculptures, paintings, drawings, videos, and installations that exploit the physical and conceptual nature of his materials and incorporate a dash of dry humor.

Many Things All at Once is Lehmann Maupin’s debut exhibition with Friedman, who joined the gallery’s program in 2021. The artist’s first solo presentation in South Korea, the show is a contemporary survey of sorts that introduces Friedman’s practice to a new geography. Spanning sculpture, installation, work on paper, and video projection, the works in Many Things All at Once feature notable elements from many of Friedman’s most recognizable pieces. In Hazmat Love, two of the artist’s signature chromed figures come together in a slow dance, while in Bee, a larger-than-lifesize handmade bumblebee rests high on a gallery wall, the latest in a series of hyper-realistic insect works that Friedman has been creating since the mid-1990s.