Delighted to be part of this group show at
@elikleingallery alongside amazing artists! Thank you
@phil.z.cai for the curation and
@kmhown for the critical essay ✨
“Tone Check: The Skins of Contemporary Korean Painting.”
Opening reception with the artists: Saturday, November 16, 6-8pm
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Artists:
Claire Chey, Judy Chung, Ahyun Jeon, Jenny Jisun Kim, Jean Oh, Kai Oh, Yissho Oh, Youngmin Park, Jazoo Yang
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As skin works as a protective, discerning barrier for what is within, the artists have worked to open up that barrier to communicate and be vulnerable with the audience. This exhibition showcases 17 flat works, revealing the true colors of and under the skins corresponding to each painting, literally and metaphorically.
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Since the Dansaekhwa movement, Korean paintings have had a strong historical connection with the concept of “skins.” This notion has further developed in recent years, as what was initially perceived as a resemblance has now progressed into a more complex relationship. More artists are starting to resolve various conflicts—technical, psychological, social, and emotional—through flat, skin-esque surfaces. A canvas could now become a playground where complicated emotions and mixed feelings coexist and cohabit, much like the ever-changing definition of “Chaemyeon”(체면, directly translated as “face,” is how someone is perceived in society). The interchanging faces in this exhibition are made up of very distinct and personal mediums ranging from soil collected from traditional Korean houses to tattoo ink embedded in silicone to timeless painting mediums like acrylic & oil. This medley of earthly hues, intentional textures, and purposeful strokes opens up an inquisitive space where the audience is asked to assess the manner of what the skins of contemporary Korean paintings carry.
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Image:
Twins, 2024, Oil on linen, 68 × 33 in
✷photo by
@daniel_greer
#youngminpark #박영민 #elikleingallery