In an explorative fashion, Jeongwoo Kim works with a novel blend of traditional art materials as well as construction materials such as cement, stucco, and corrosion paint. Given their relative affordability, incorporating these materials into his art practice enables him to express himself freely on a shoestring.

Jeongwoo began the production of this piece by utilizing materials that revealed and emphasized the texture of a wooden panel. On the one hand, the layers of paint accumulate in a way that offers a certain formative beauty, while on the other hand, this accumulation has a way of drowning out and obscuring the underlying properties of the wood itself. In this sense, Jeongwoo shifts between the surface level aesthetic and the substance within so as to explore the nature of existence and its variability. Rather than simply interpret the image present, he hopes that his audience can think deeply about the essence and existence of those materials contained within, as well as the profound materiality of the world in which they live.

For EunTaek Kim, an artist is an agriculturalist, sowing the seeds of creativity and cultivating crops on canvas to nourish the hearts and minds of the audience. In this piece, EunTaek highlights the existence of impoverishment and inner turmoil in an age of material abundance. His canvas reflects the fluidity of the seasons, bountiful at times, barren at others, and forever subject to change. Sprinkling the fertilizing essence of mixed materials on painted soil, he tends to the land, fosters transition, and looks forward to better harvests ahead.

After graduating from Seoul National University and completing various research stints in Japan, Yongju Jang has gone on to lecture at various prestigious institutions across Korea. Since the 2010s, she has moved away from her traditional roots and adopted a more experimental approach. From novel scratching methods on transparent acrylic and epoxy panels, to lighting techniques and shadow work, she often depicts the passing of time and accentuates human memories as they begin to fade.

The accumulation of images, both real and imagined, in combination with a sense of depth and three-dimensionality, all harmonize in a way that defines the evolution of Yongju’s own aesthetic language. In this piece, she captures, reflects, and ultimately extends light to establish fluidity and construct a transcendental plane where the past and present converge. Indeed, her natural landscape intertwines the invisible with the visible realm in a way that disrupts the boundaries of appearance and reality. In doing so, the viewer is able to savor the wonders of life and immortalize palpitations of the heart, the essence of which can be found ebbing and flowing in the shadows. 

Yumi Song’s creative sensibilities were nurtured by the scent of her father’s oil paints in harmony with the maritime vibes and stunning natural scenery of her hometown of Mokpo.

At the intersection of abstract painting and calligraphy, Yumi started work on this piece by smoothing out the surface of the canvas before applying several layers of yellow acrylic paint. Once the paint had dried, she meticulously interconnected a series of spiral forms and infinity curves in an almost spiritual fashion to create a sense of spatial depth. Influenced by traditional martial art practice and the teachings of dialectical philosophy, Yumi then delicately overlapped thin, calligraphic strokes with immersive and rhythmical results. As a result, her painting positively lights up the room, transporting us to some radiant nook where beams of light tingle the depths of the subconscious, saturate the soul, and move us to action with promises of change and endless possibilities yet to unfold.

As an experimental duo, Jiyoon Yoo and Soyo present a pictorial reinterpretation of Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pottery with lacquer. With a history dating back more than 50,000 years, lacquer is an incredibly versatile medium, often employed for purposes of preservation and repair.

Doing away with the chemicals, Soyo begins with a 19th century printing method, tearing apart and recombining photographic fragments in a way that emphasizes the human capacity to cope, transcend and thrive against the odds. Rather than conceal autobiographical vulnerabilities, the two creatives harmonize classical techniques so as to immortalize the beauty of their scars in the lacquer and reinforce the cherished role of time as a therapeutic healer. 

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