Ouhi Cha

Installation View at SONG ART GALLERY

The drawing presented here belongs to the Ship of Odyssey series, which was produced throughout the 1990s. Though related to the series, this drawing can also be viewed as part of its own independent sphere. This stems from both the unique nature of the drawing and the fact that it is not a sketch for a finished work.

As the drawing begins with line, it could be viewed as Eastern art, or as work possessing strong Eastern art characteristics. Comparatively, lines in Western art are ultimately produced as an expression of a specific object, whereas in the East, lines sometimes remain as such without expressing anything. A line is born as a line and comes to stand on its own.

Ouhi Cha, Untitled, 1990, Oil on paper, 102 x 76 cm, detail

Such an automatic technique tends to cause unexpected psychological shock in the artist. It creates the somewhat contradictory circumstance of the artist being influenced by their attempted drawing. Herein lies both the energy and appeal of drawing. It essentially precedes full-scale painting, thus surrounding itself with an ever-awakening sensibility. This is why the artist is impressed by their drawings.

This is not to say that the person in front of the drawing should not make any associations. Perhaps the massive width of the sail visible in Ship of Odyssey comes to mind. Here one thinks of, images of sails torn by strong sea winds, waves breaking in the sunlight, a sea breeze, and the cries of seabirds following a ship. The tension of the oarsmen trying to reach for the torn sails is palpable as well.

Ouhi Cha, Untiltled, Mixed Media on canvas, 47.5 x 37.5 cm

You may recall the words of the German art critic Wigenstein, who described my work as “the tension between East Asia’s composure and the West’s sense of movement.” At times, while appreciating the meaning of “minimal color and form,” you might think of the words of critic Kim Young Soon, who described the work as “visible traces and an invisible abyss;” this will also deepen your appreciation of the work.

Drawing happens in an instant and ends in an instant. In so doing, it entails a cycle of repetition. Because of this, I believe that drawing is comparable to a form of ruminative thinking. It is always empty and full at the same time. Thus, while drawing belongs to the artist, it seeks to escape the artist’s domain. This freedom-seeking nature and the artist’s will to control it sometimes engage in a tense tug-of-war. Perhaps this is drawing’s appeal.

Ouhi Cha

Song Art Gallery
Acrovista Arcade, 188, Seochojungang-ro, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 06600, Republic of Korea
82 2 3482 7096

WEB     INSTAGRAM