The Korea Galleries Art Fair happened this weekend (March 19-23) at the BEXCO Convention Center in Busan. Here's the official website: http://www.seoulartfair.net/.
What impressed me most was the ample amount of wall space reserved for emerging artists. 5o artists under 35 were recommended by the participating galleries; these works were all priced under 2 million won (US $1,440), with some as low as 700,000 won (US $500), giving much needed exposure to the struggling artists while simultaneously making original art affordable to a larger audience.
One standout among several was Park Sung-Soo, a 28-year-old who synthesizes global trends in contemporary art with Korean tradition. Park continues the work of 1980s ink revivalists with his innovative use of Korean ink on paper. Long time ink painter Song Soo-nam (1938-), once said that he sees the act of painting as the rhythm of human disposition confronting nature. At 130 x 162cm, Park's saturated Bear painting forces the viewer to confront nature and all her strange beauty and terror. The curious yet menacing stance of the bear combined with the ink drips evokes the work of British graffiti artist Banksy while the lichen-green colored fur has the concurrent effect of a harmless, rooted hedgerow sculpture. Park Sung-Soo's Bear sold on the first day of the fair for 2 million won (US $1,440). If you are interested in his work contact Seoshin Gallery.
No comments:
Post a Comment