"Feel the Here and Now"... Baek Jeong-gi's 'is of' Exhibition Focuses on the Work 'Somyeol'

Arario Museum in Space
Baek Jeonggi Solo Exhibition 'is of' Until August 10
Landscape Photographs Printed with Fading Handmade Ink
Human Intervention Capturing Disappearing Landscapes Artificially

The exhibition title 'is of' by artist Baek Jeong-gi means 'originates from,' and can also be interpreted as 'here and now.' It refers to the unique and ephemeral moment captured by photography, emphasizing that once that moment passes, it can never be reproduced in the same way again.

Baek Jeong-gi's 'is of Sokrisan 2024-4' (2025) was printed using pigment extracted from maple leaves, then epoxy coated and placed in an acrylic sealed chamber. Arario Museum

The works displayed in Baek Jeong-gi's solo exhibition 'is of,' held at Arario Museum in Space in Jongno-gu, Seoul until August 10, are printed using handmade ink made from fallen leaves that the artist personally collected at the photographed locations. The handmade ink easily loses its color and gradually fades when exposed to air. This implies that the time of the subject, like nature, changes and disappears according to the natural order.

The yellowish hue of the works is due to the late cold weather last year, which prevented the leaves from turning properly red. Many leaves did not develop red tones, making the yellow color more prominent. This also reflects the material continuity that incorporates the uniqueness of last year into the artwork.

To minimize the fading of natural pigments, the artist coats the photographs with epoxy and places them in a special device that blocks oxygen. The device injects nitrogen or removes oxygen at regular intervals. Through this, it reveals human desires for ownership and preservation of nature, while exploring the paradox of the finiteness and infinity of existence.

The works encompass photographs printed with natural pigments and mechanical devices. The oxygen-blocking device is not merely an auxiliary tool for preservation but symbolizes human intervention artificially delaying the passage of time. Through this device designed to resist the flow of time, paradoxically, viewers become aware of time’s passage. From this perspective, the works awaken viewers to the 'here and now' moment, appearing differently at every instant.

Baek Jeong-gi 'is of Dumulmori 2024-2' (2025). Aririo Museum

The 'here and now' moment is also expressed in the sacred device within the work 'is of Dumoolmeori 2024-2.' The piece takes the form of an altar painting with wings on both sides, reminiscent of the past when sacred paintings were displayed to the public with wings spread on sacred days. This limited viewing allowed maximizes the 'here and now' moment, letting viewers feel the aura emanating from time.

'is of Songnisan 2024-4' fragments the landscape of Songnisan into 56 images. From a certain distance, it reminds viewers that each part functions as an independent image rather than a part of the whole. Baek Jeong-gi explained, "It shows nature trying to change and humans trying to control it. It expresses the idea that we see parts of nature but not the whole, and see the whole but not the parts."

Baek Jeong-gi began making artworks with handmade ink about 15 years ago. He started making the ink himself to save on costs, and this necessity expanded into art. The exhibited works are the result of 15 years of research, and the anti-oxidation devices are included as part of the works, giving them an aspect of installation art.

The exhibition runs until August 10 at Arario Museum in Space.