Fragile: Kim Nam Hyeon, Kim Myung Jin, Woo Jeong Su

Chapter II is delighted to announce a group exhibition, ‘Fragile’, by three artists, Kim Nam Hyeon, Kim Myung Jin, and Woo Jeong Su, from 10th May to 23rd June in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul.

Figurative art is an outcome achieved by artists’ subjective and aesthetic interpretation. The word, ‘Figurative’ which often refers to an artistic reflection of reality, is closely connected to the behavior of ‘Adaptation’, as figurative art inevitably involves the process of imitating appearances of actual nature or objects. The level of the imitation and artists’ creativity can be a standard categorizing art movements and styles. Furthermore, it transfers universal meanings inherent in images to varying degrees and it also plays a role of a preferred means to appreciate and criticize works of art.

Images imply historical facts, social phenomena and ideologies of certain eras. Images we encounter in ordinary life or mass media innumerable times, arouse instant sensations or ones’ likes and dislikes depending on experiences and educated knowledge. The reason why artists of the Renaissance did not neglect the importance of historical research when they were working on historical events is to minimize damage to symbolic and common signification fundamentally contained in images, though the possibility of distortion caused by an adaptation of the images was still available. It can be compared with the case when writers adopt annotations and footnotes in order to guarantee academic values of their references and support their own arguments. 

Through the course of artists’ interpretation, borrowed images are recreated into a final outcome either still considerably similar to their original source or far different to it when physical elements of the source are mostly dissembled. The extent of an artist’s intervention and how much an artist attempts to convey meanings and symbolic significance of a certain image have a great influence in direction of appreciating and analyzing works.

In this exhibition, three artists will present their practice based on each distinct formative approaches. The more narratives and figurative aspects of adopted images are explicit, the less a subjective perspective can interfere; however, the adaptation does not necessarily bring universal meanings of the original images. With diverse modes such as cropping, shifting materials’ traits, mixing and simplifying, the three artists generate uncanny variations. They eventually produce artworks which are too obscure to identify the original figure, paradoxically allowing potential for a broad interpretation. Although their artistic intention emerged in the first stage of creation is still firmly covered, a faint existence of the intention precariously and inwardly dwells in the works. It is not only a device expanding the implication of the works, but also a mechanism neutralizing initial meanings bound to images. 

Interestingly, improvised narratives evoked by each displayed pieces are delicately yet abundantly associated in a clockwise direction of the exhibition space. Kim Myung Jin’s ’Son of Man (2017)’, reminding of ‘Study After Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X (1953)’ by Francis Bacon (1909-1992), is composed of Korean paper and ink pigment creating dark and intense ambiance. Kim’s painting has a descriptive association with ‘Battle of Ponta del Kota (2016)' placed next to it. It is one of drawings by Woo Jeong Su whose practice triggers sense of time through a dry and dynamic tense expressed through technical applications.

Finally, spectators’ gaze turns towards Kim Nam Hyeon’s sculpture, ‘Single #8 (2010)’. This work’s motif at the beginning of production was a personal experience, whereas it is comprehended as a result of a probable incident since the artist’s subjectivity gradually dissolves. Combined with viewers’ private experiences, this piece consequently operates as a symbol indicating numerous intimate affairs.

Unveiling the three artists’s elaborated aesthetic language, the exhibition, ‘Fragile’ will open until 23rd of June at Chapter II. The opening reception will be held at 5 pm, 10th of May.