[Exhibitions of the Week] Mandy El-Saye, I Geunmin Two-Person Exhibition & Lee Hanbeom Solo Exhibition, etc.

Seoyongseon, Hwanin, Onyeosanseong, 桓仁, 五女山城, 27.9x38.2cm, acrylic on paper, 2017. Photo by Nook Gallery

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] ▲Special Exhibition 'Three in One' = Nook Gallery is hosting the special exhibition 'Three in One.' This exhibition unfolds another unified world created through the paintings of three artists?Seo Yongsun, Lee Eunsae, and Lee Jaehun?who alternate between portraying figures and landscapes. The exhibition title 'Three in One' signifies an attempt to look more multilayeredly into each artist's paintings through their distinct perspectives, despite their shared focus on figures or landscapes as subjects.

Seo Yongsun, who has painted with a humanistic approach by confronting forgotten past histories, myths, and fragmented realities imprinted on the skin, Lee Jaehun, who explores the relationship between form and landscape and investigates unknown worlds beyond time and space within the canvas, and Lee Eunsae, who candidly captures her emotions and attitudes toward realities and situations encountered in daily life, place their works together in the exhibition space as if forms or landscapes are being painted with brushes inside the paintings.

Eun-sae Lee, Night Horizontal Bar, 2021, oil on canvas, 40.9x31.8cm. Photo by Nook Gallery

In this exhibition, Seo Yongsun presents numerous new works including landscapes featuring the Onyeosan Fortress, known as the first royal palace site of Goguryeo, as well as cityscapes and figures. Lee Eunsae showcases drawings and paintings expressing her attitudes toward realities and situations faced as a woman. Lee Jaehun exhibits new portraits along with paintings containing forms within landscapes. The works of these three artists, who express fundamental human concerns through the language of art within their surrounding environments and times, create a three-dimensional era landscape beyond the limited linear human time. The exhibition runs until the 29th at Nook Gallery, Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

(Photo left) Lee Geun-min, Beach of the Unconscious, 2022 (detail). Photo by OnArtStudio (Photo right) Mandy El-Saye, Ariel, 2022 (detail). Photo by OnArtStudio.

▲Mandy El-Sayegh & Lee Geunmin Two-Person Exhibition 'Recombinant' = Lehmann Maupin Seoul presents the two-person exhibition 'Recombinant' featuring Mandy El-Sayegh, based in London, UK, and Lee Geunmin, based in Seoul. The exhibition title comes from the term 'recombinant DNA' in genetics, referring to the process of recombining separated DNA fragments on a gene map, resulting in the expression of new substances. In this process, genetic information of genes, cells, and even organisms is mutually exchanged.

This exhibition, composed of new works by both artists, began from their chance encounter. El-Sayegh discovered Lee Geunmin's work through a search engine algorithm recommendation. While searching for images similar to her own work, she found Lee's pieces, which led the two artists to remotely communicate over several years and develop the exhibition. Despite speaking different languages, El-Sayegh and Lee mainly used images as a common language to communicate, finding intersections in aesthetic tastes and artistic impulses that characterize their respective working methods. 'Recombinant' exhibits the works of two artists who abstract the body in different ways, expanding thought to broader themes such as how individual subjects seek ways to represent themselves within the structural frameworks of society. The exhibition runs until December 10th at Lehmann Maupin Seoul, Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

Pinocchio, 390 x 162, Acrylic on Canvas, 2021. Photo by Pyo Gallery

▲Lee Hanbeom Solo Exhibition 'Messages Toward a Better World' = Pyo Gallery hosts the solo exhibition 'Messages Toward a Better World' by artist Lee Hanbeom. Lee's works deliver simple and clear messages about a complex and contradictory world, addressing social and environmental issues such as ecosystem destruction caused by climate change, energy waste, social and political issues, and COVID-19. While contemporary art trends often involve unfamiliar images and obscure meanings that are hard to approach, Lee Hanbeom has maintained a style akin to pop art that anyone can comfortably enjoy, rather than art limited to a few.

Although not widely known to the public, Lee Hanbeom gained attention when director Kim Seonghoon, who directed the Netflix hit series Kingdom, actor Ju Jihoon, and actor Ha Jungwoo were captivated by his cheerful artistic world and purchased his works.

His works are filled with characters occupying the entire canvas and prominently displayed English texts, making the canvas visually rich and giving a sense of auditory murmur. The artist chose the most direct and popular communication methods?images and texts. He borrows animals, politicians, celebrities, superheroes, and cartoon characters familiar to the public to deliver his honest thoughts and advice on social issues in a more approachable manner.

Slugger Eagle, 130 x 162, Acrylic on Canvas, 2021. Photo by Pyo Gallery

Animals frequently appearing in his recent works are mostly endangered species, chosen in the context of effectively conveying his message about environmental protection, which he has recently taken special interest in. The artist expresses an emotion as if the animals disappearing due to reckless commercialization and environmental destruction are speaking to us. Through his works, he aims to raise awareness of important but socially overlooked issues. He also seeks to awaken our desensitized society and candidly share sincere stories for a better world with the audience and the world. The exhibition runs until the 11th at Pyo Gallery, Chebu-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.