[Gallery Walk] The Pinnacle of Life Painted in Korean Style, 'Pureureun Nal'

Hakgojae Kim Seondu Solo Exhibition 'Pureureun Nal'
Reflecting on the Essence of Life and Thematic Awareness
Modern Sensibility in Korean Painting, Establishing a Unique Artistic World

Korean painting has long been perceived by the public as traditional painting, a form of art from the past. Artist Kim Seon-du has continued a fierce contemplation on identity through his work that reinterprets Korean painting with a modern sensibility. He is holding a solo exhibition at Hakgojae in Sogyeok-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Kim Seon-du, Daylight-Corn
Photo by Hakgojae

The artist, who says, "I try to combine traditional techniques with contemporary content," introduces 36 works in this exhibition, including a series depicting nature such as 'Bamgil' (On the Way in Midnight), which portrays a night scene under a full moon, 'Najbyeol' featuring corn catching the eye, and 'Jiji Anneun Kkot' (The Flower That Does Not Wither), as well as works contemplating the essence of life like 'Areumdaun Sijeol' (Beautiful Times), which depicts athletes and poets representing the era.

The exhibition’s theme is taken from the poem "Pureureun Nal" (Blue Day) by Seo Jeong-ju, and the artist stated about this exhibition, "I wanted to show how to tell new stories in an old way."

Among Korean paper types, Kim’s work uses thick and dense Jangji paper, on which he repeatedly layers powdered pigments mixed with water and animal glue. His technique emits transparent yet deep colors. His 'Jangjihwa' (Jangji painting), where the sturdy Jangji deeply absorbs the fine powdered pigments to produce delicate coloration, is a unique style not found in Japanese or Chinese color paintings.

Kim Seon-du. On the Way in Midnight [Photo by Hakgojae]

Perhaps because of this, in the 'Bamgil' series, which features a lone figure walking on a dark night road under a round full moon, the contrast between the deep blue mountains and sky, the pouring stars, and the large white moon is even more vivid. That light evokes the artist’s hometown senior and writer Lee Cheong-jun, who must have given him hope and courage. Indeed, the artist conceived the work while recalling Lee Cheong-jun’s essay "Nungil" (Snowy Road).

The 8-meter-wide masterpiece 'Singgeureoun Pokchuk' (Fresh Fireworks), which captivates the audience’s gaze, is the representative work of this exhibition. The artist said that upon seeing the moment a flower blooms, he thought of "fireworks shot up from the earth." The work depicts the moment when fireworks explode as the flower fully blooms and pollen scatters. After the climax passes, it soon leads to disappearance, calmly conveying the natural law of emptiness.

Seondu Kim, "Beautiful Times - Kim Suyeong" 2021, ink and mineral pigments on Korean paper.
[Photo courtesy of Hakgojae]

The portrait series 'Areumdaun Sijeol' (Beautiful Times), which captures the brilliant moments of individuals, draws attention as their schedules are written, erased, and left as traces at the bottom of the works. Portraits of poet Kim Su-young, baseball player Seon Dong-ryeol, webtoon artist Imalnyeon (Chimchakman), and soccer player Park Gyu-hyun gaze back at the audience.

Having retired from the academic field last year, the artist plans to continuously explore the possibilities of freer Korean painting through new media such as photography, oil painting, and installation works.

The exhibition runs until August 17.