"Chopping Play" - Korean Contemporary Art Now

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This week I visited Chopping Play @ ION Orchard, featuring 6 contemporary Korean artists: Gwon Osang, Shin Kiwoun, Son Donghyun, Yee Sookyung, Chung Suejin, and Chun Sungmyung. (All photos taken @ ION were under permission from ION staff; courtesy of AndrewShire Gallery in Singapore)

Gwon Osang's work plays with dimensions. He takes photos (2 dimension) of a subject (3 dimension), and overlays them back to real size light mannequins, through which he transforms the 2 dimension photos back to the 3 dimension object again, creating an effect both surreal and realistic. This concept does not appear that fascinating to me, however, since it's my first time encountering this style, it feels refreshing and interesting. Check here for more of Gwon's work.

Gwon's "Rimowa"

Chung Suejin's "untitled" is an interesting piece, since it's untitled, I need not say much. But I do enjoy the Koreanness in her work. Look at the faces, who else can they be?

Source: AndrewShire Gallery

Also noteworthy is Son Donghyun, who's said to be good at using traditional painting techniques to portray modern mass cultural pop icons. A seemingly contradiction lies in the concept of using traditional painting techniques supposed to only serve the upper class in the past to portray pop icons. May take a look at his KING series featuring Michael Jackson too.

Son's "Ninja Turtle, Raphael"

Chun's "Swallowing the shadow"

Another noteworthy one is Chun Sungmyung, coz he's just such a creepy guy. It doesn't make me feel all that comfortable putting his work here, so I just select one that looks healthier (well, the whole concept of his art work is about un-healthiness actually).

Well, this exhibition aroused my interest in contemporary Korean artists. When I go back Seoul this Friday (YAY!), let's see what I can find there!