Woong Kim

김웅 Woong Kim, 2024, Untitled, Oil on Canvas, 216x135cm

2GIL29 GALLERY is pleased to present the solo exhibition 《Untitled Landscape 》 by artist Woong Kim, from May 31 to June 29, 2024. 2GIL29 Gallery’s exhibition focuses intensely on Woong Kim’s inner world and artistic journey, offering crucial discourse on the present and future of contemporary art. His long experience in New York combined with his foundational Korean sensibilities positions his works uniquely within the global art scene, continuing his artistic experiments across the boundaries of tradition and modernity, East and West. The “Landscape without Proposition” exhibition reflects these characteristics, creating a new artistic language based on the cultural diversity and personal experiences he has faced. His works reinterpret traditional Korean artistic elements with a contemporary sense, striving to convey universal emotions and messages that transcend time and space.

Visitors to this exhibition will have the opportunity to experience the essence of Woong Kim’s creative journey, which has spanned decades between New York and Seoul. Moreover, the layers of time and landscapes of memory expressed in his works will allow viewers to look inward, reflecting on their own memories and emotions. Through his art, Woong Kim explores the fundamental human emotions and thoughts, going beyond mere images or forms. The presence of his works in prestigious museums worldwide, such as Yale University Museum, New Haven, Connecticut; National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea; Roanoke Civic Center, Roanoke, Virginia; and others, underscores his artistic achievements and depth.

김웅 Woong Kim, 2024, Untitled, Oil on Canvas, 36x26cm

This exhibition at 2GIL29 Gallery is set to be a profound showcase of Woong Kim’s weighty paintings, sharing his long artistic journey and rich sensibilities with the audience. It transcends the act of merely viewing art, showing how art can engage with the inner self, and is especially significant as it marks his 80th birthday, celebrating his lifelong artistic achievements. The ongoing discourse around his work within the art community and the spotlight on his artistic legacy will offer intriguing discussions about how his art will be perceived in the future. This exhibition is expected to leave a deep impression and inspire art enthusiasts.

김웅 Woong Kim, 2024, Untitled, Oil on Canvas, 146.5×180.5cm

Woong Kim, born in 1944, has traversed a remarkable journey from his native Korea to the vibrant art scene of New York. After relocating in 1970, he completed his education at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) and the Yale University School of Art. His tenure at SVA from 1979 to 1987 marked him as the first Korean to serve as a professor there. Following his academic career, Kim was a resident artist at Howard Scott Gallery in New York for eighteen years (1988-2006), during which time his works were actively traded at prestigious auction houses like Christie’s and Sotheby’s, affirming his status as a recognized Korean artist in the New York art scene.

While Kim’s artworks might initially appear as abstract paintings, a closer examination reveals a profound figurative essence. This uniqueness stems from the source of his creations—deeply embedded memories of his youth. These memories, like geological strata, layer upon one another on his canvases. Childhood memories of his mother sewing, or the decorative use of mugwort and petals on traditional Korean paper windows and tablecloths, transform through his artistic lens into treasure-like artworks. Kim does not merely reproduce these items; he reinterprets them as original inspirations, melting the inherent Korean aesthetic into colors and forms on the canvas.

Installation view of ‘Untitled Landscape’

His approach to painting eschews the quick inspirations typical of modern art; instead, it involves a meticulous process of extracting and layering memories with repetitive brushstrokes, building up color layers that converge into a form of spiritual regression that serves as a totemic source for the artist. These transformed memories do not just represent the past; they transcend time, revitalizing in the present as spiritual essences on the canvas.

Woong Kim’s works invite viewers to journey through the tapestry of his recollections, unlocking the treasure box of his youth and offering an aesthetic voyage that traces the enduring history of an artist whose identity is perpetually shaped by his origins. Today, Kim continues to reside and work in New York, diligently pursuing his craft and contributing to the dialogue of contemporary art on an international scale.

2GIL29GALLERY
2GIL29 Bldg. 35, Gangnam-daero 158-gil, Gangnam-Gu, Seoul 06034 Korea
+82 2 6203 2015

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