[Exhibition of the Week] Chooni Park 'Untrodden Path, Strange Scenery' Exhibition · Naul · Nojun Two-Person Exhibition and More

Editor's NoteThis week's exhibitions introduce a variety of attractive shows from across the country that can be experienced within a week.

▲ Chuni Park Solo Exhibition 'Untrodden Path, Strange Scenery' = A solo exhibition by artist Chuni Park, who has built her own sculptural language through diverse brush techniques and experiments, will be held at Gallery Mari.

Chunibak, 'A Strange Landscape - Capitol Reef', 2024, ink and acrylic on hanji paper, 90×70cm
[Photo courtesy of Gallery Mari]

The artist, who participated in art residencies in Utah and Nevada, USA, in the first half of this year, presents a new series of American landscapes titled 'Untrodden Path, Strange Scenery.' This exhibition is the result of much contemplation and anguish, involving the process of painting the overwhelming natural scenery encountered on-site and then deepening it back in her studio in Korea.

The residency in Utah that the artist participated in is not a stationary residency but a project where she moves around Utah and Nevada like a nomad, painting along the way. Based on a substantial amount of sketches, hanji (traditional Korean paper) works, photos, videos, and notes created during this journey, she devoted herself to interpreting landscapes in her own way on blank canvases. Through the process of finding new lines, dots, compositions, and colors suitable for depicting unfamiliar landscapes, she captured the vast and magnificent American canyons in large-scale works such as size 300 and 600 canvases, conveying that energy directly to the viewers.

Chunibak, 'Dawn of the Desert with the Rising Moon', 2024, ink and acrylic on hanji paper, 70×129cm
[Photo by Gallery Mari]

"For me, painting American landscapes is like an explorer risking death to venture into unknown lands. One of my small goals is to leave the world's landscapes on hanji through my own method of painting."

The artist says that while respecting the original form of the landscapes she witnessed as much as possible, her purpose is to unfold her own artistic world based on the pictorial structure she has built. The new works presented in this exhibition are not only the result of the art residency but will also serve as a great driving force for her future artistic journey. She hopes that 'Untrodden Path, Strange Scenery' will be a comforting and consoling landscape for all who encounter it. The exhibition runs until November 15 at Gallery Mari, 1 Gyeonghuigung-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

▲ Naul & Noh Jun Two-Person Exhibition = Ewhaik Gallery presents a two-person exhibition by artists Naul and Noh Jun, who convey their unique artistic worlds based on originality. Naul and Noh Jun have understood and communicated with each other's works over a long period and have exhibited together multiple times both domestically and internationally.

Naul 'Music Industry 2'.
[Photo by Ewhaik Gallery]

Both artists use traditional sculptural and painterly methodologies but share the commonality of showing a free, personal, and empathetic aesthetic that avoids heavy seriousness or academic expressions.

Naul, well known as the main vocalist of 'Brown Eyes' and 'Brown Eyed Soul' and also as a musician, nurtured his dream of becoming a painter since childhood. After completing his master's degree in Plastic Arts at Dankook University Graduate School of Design in 2005, he has continuously produced works. He has created various collage works combining objects such as stickers attached to items and discarded packaging?essentially trash or waste materials?with his drawings. Most of the figures appearing in his works are Black people.

This has sometimes led to misunderstandings that he addresses racial issues in his work, but Naul explains that his affection for Black people naturally grew from his lifelong interest in Black music, which led him to depict them. Through works created with his unique sculptural language based on individual memories and experiences, Naul conveys his beliefs and values.

Nojun 'Into the Candyverse-Sweet Deflated Churo'.
[Photo by Ewhaik Gallery]

Noh Jun's sculptures, painted with sparkling automotive paint, have an immediate disarming charm. However, while the works appear cute and charming, they do not stop at superficial or kitschy lightness. The artist focuses on the relationship between humans and animals, as well as between humans and nature and among humans themselves. He speaks of 'restoration of relationships' as a lifelong theme guiding his work. In particular, the relationship emphasized by the artist is between humans and animals, through which he dreams of sincere communication and hope.

Noh Jun completed his doctoral coursework majoring in sculpture at Seoul National University. He has received the Song Eun Art Award in 2006, a special prize at the Moran Sculpture Grand Prize Exhibition in 2007, and the Kim Sejung Youth Sculpture Award in 2008. Expanding his activities internationally through participation in art fairs and exhibitions in Japan, Taiwan, Jakarta, and elsewhere, he continues to broaden his artistic practice. In March 2019, he participated in a public art project commemorating the Abu Dhabi Special Olympics, permanently installing his work alongside four other international artists in an outdoor sculpture park within the Saadiyat Cultural District. This was the first time an East Asian artist's work was installed in Abu Dhabi.

This exhibition offers audiences a fresh experience to enjoy the free-spirited and original artistic worlds presented by two artists working in different genres?sculpture and painting?in one place. The exhibition runs until the 30th at Ewhaik Gallery, 3 Yulgok-ro-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Mokpo, October 2023 [Photo by Gallery Banditraso]

▲ Federico Alberto Solo Exhibition 'Stillness and Change: Korea' = Gallery Banditraso hosts a solo exhibition by photographer and Dominican ambassador H. E. Dr. Federico Alberto Cuello Camilo. The 46 photographs on display were all taken in Korea and consist of single-edition fine art pieces. Proceeds from sales will be donated to children living in welfare facilities in Korea through the Association of Spouses of Ambassadors in Korea (ASAS).

"Long before I arrived in Korea, I was fascinated by the rapid pace of change that led this country from the ashes of war to the pinnacle of all related development indicators. I came to realize that the rapid rise in living standards on streets, hills, bays, and islands does not affect Koreans' religious tolerance, perfectionism, openness, community participation, thirst for learning, and relentless self-improvement, which deepened my respect for Korea."

Federico Alberto, a photographer, artist, and diplomat, explained his special impressions and information about Korea before he viewed it through his lens. He introduced the exhibition by saying, "What I aimed to record in this exhibition is the tension between tradition and modernity, the stillness of spiritual life and the changes in architecture, actions, and speed?photos taken on the way to work, after dinner, while riding a bicycle, during weekend hikes, or outside Seoul."

He emphasized, "It most certainly reflects my respect for a country that has achieved so much in a very short time thanks to the sacrifices and hard work of many people."

Jogyesa Temple, Seoul, March 2023 [Photo by Gallery Banditraso]

"The perfect timing of the shot captures the exact moment a pedestrian moves, infusing the photograph with overflowing vitality and energy. 'Stillness and Change' is a captivating photographic collection that successfully captures the vibrancy and complexity of Korea since I arrived as an ambassador and photographer. With strong composition, effective use of natural light, and excellent works on intriguing subjects, it arouses curiosity and connection while inviting viewers to explore the personal stories framed within."

KT KIM, a renowned Korean photographer and curator of this exhibition, explains the planning of this collection as follows. He adds, "The stillness and change depicted in the photographic works are executed with a high level of skill, with sharp focus and well-chosen depth of field that keeps the entire scene clear, while exposure is well balanced so that no elements are overexposed or underexposed."

He further analyzes, "Overall, Stillness and Change can be seen as a powerful example of photography that highlights Federico Alberto's ability to capture fleeting moments of Korean life with authenticity and artistry."

Seoul, June 2024 [Photo by Gallery Banditraso]

Marian de Tollentino, a cultural critic from the Dominican Republic and director of the National Museum of Art, commented, "Federico Alberto, a diplomat and 'photographer,' was a disciple of Yofredo Garcia (1935-1988), the greatest Dominican photographer of 1981. This diplomat, intellectual, and humanist has distinguished himself in photography for years, and in this exhibition consisting of 46 art photographs taken mainly in Seoul between 2021 and 2024, he skillfully balances aesthetics and technique from the relationship between moment and tension to framing. The visual expression, including color, is like a poem?a series of 'odes' to Korean life." The exhibition runs until the 25th at Gallery Banditraso, Seongbuk-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul.