Hwang Seontae

빛이 드는 공간, 2024, 202 x 87 x 4cm, 강화유리에 샌딩, 유리전사, LED

Seon Tae Hwang, who has long explored the essence of pure light, now turns his focus to the ‘existence of light itself.’ His artwork predominantly features light, frosted glass, and lines, combining undefined materials to evoke the ‘possibility of healing.’ To be alive means to possess ‘mobility’ or ‘dynamism.’ The artist has transformed the way we perceive existence into a realization through ‘spatial installations, glass sculptures, glass photographs, and light,’ culminating in his current body of work. Even while exhibiting experimental sculptures in Germany, he never let go of ‘glass,’ a choice that naturally aligned with his quest to transcend physical concepts. The artist breaks through self-imposed physical boundaries, inviting us to meet the ‘living subject.’ He urges us to enter the true light of healing and peace by criticizing and reflecting on ourselves rather than others.

Heal with the energy of light and the balanced colors!

빛이 드는 공간, 2024, 101 x 79 x 4cm, 강화유리에 샌딩, 유리전사, LED

We experience different moments of time through the sunlight streaming through the glass windows. Sometimes the sunset casts a warm glow indoors, while at other times, gentle sunlight tickles our noses, transporting us back to the most beautiful times. The artworks, reminiscent of Baroque light brought into the modern era, invite viewers into a realm of comfort through ‘balanced colors neutralized by glass.’ Simple lines set between sandblasted tempered glass and the ‘living light’ paired with LED lighting extend the ‘healing wavelength’ to our entire surroundings. For the artist, the key is the act of leaving ‘only the minimal essentials.’ By depicting simple images from daily life with lines, the artworks simplify our complex lives, connecting the inner and outer aspects of our existence to a deeper understanding of life. In this context, light acts as a mediator that infuses dynamic energy. Thus, the works go beyond emotions, reaching the essence of ‘being.’ Here, the distinction between virtual and real doesn’t matter. In a space filled with light, the light itself embodies the ‘source of life,’ embracing even the invisible qualities of change.

빛이드는 공간, 2024, 50 x 67 x 4cm, 강화유리에 샌딩, 유리전사, LED

“My lines are a kind of text. I suppress emotions as much as possible and use the lines as tools. If lines represent expression, then light is emotion. Frosted glass serves as a channel and medium that amplifies this imagination. The light of the sunset displays all the colors just before life fades, while the light of the morning is clear and pure, revealing the existence of things. It is light that gives meaning to presence and absence. Perhaps existence and non-existence are the harmony and transformation of the universe. Thus, we observe the changes between day and night, the cycle of life and death in humans and all things, and the transitions of the four seasons. In this journey to find light, just as I seek the value of existence through materials, I hope viewers encounter a sense of comfort that allows them to affirm themselves.”

From an interview with the artist Seon Tae Hwang (August 30, 2024)

-Ahn Hyun-jung (Art critic/Ph.D. in Art Philosophy)

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