Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong is pleased to present the duo exhibition Symbol of Fortune (복 福), featuring photographs by KOH Yeo Myoung and fine arts painting by SIN Kwoon I.

As the title Symbol of Fortune (복 福) implies, the theme of the exhibition is auspicious symbols in East Asia. Fine-art photography artist KOH Yeo Myoung presents the sequences of Grapes, Wing of insects and Roses and SIN Kwoon I, the fine-art artist presents the sequences of Sun and Sunflower. Despite of using different medium, KOH, who uses analogue camera technique and SIN, a fine-art artist working in oils, they both use the most conventional method as a photography artist and fine art artist. They precisely express the object without any metaphor or hidden meaning. The viewer would appreciate the exhibition through the process of assuming the correlation between the object and the title ‘symbol of fortune’.

KOH Yeo Myoung, the photography artist who films close-up the object through conventional method and results in hyperrealism photographs, showcases the sequences of grapes, roses and the wings of insects. KOH shoots the small objects with high definition, magnifies and prints them, which makes the audience feel discrepancy when appreciating the objects which were supposed to be small but facing them printed in enormous sizes. That sense of unfamiliarity audiences are facing is similar to the dépaysement effect of surrealistic art.

The grape was the popular subject matter as both the theme of the arabesque decoration and the subject of the painting itself regardless of time and region. In China they were used as the decoration of the back of the mirror, or in Europe they were frequently shown in the stained glass of Cathedral or Dutch still life paintings in 17th century due to the fact that the image of grapes connotes auspicious meaning globally. In the Eastern Asia, numerous grapes in one bunch of them were often interpreted as the symbol of prosperity of both descendant and wealth, which led the frequent appearance as the arabesque of the crafts design and folk paintings. In the Western culture as well, the grapevine was considered to be the symbol of sacredness, abundance and culture from the ancient period since the wine symbolizes the blood of Christ.

The Wing sequence of KOH Yeo Myoung shows the wing of cicada.  Iksungwan, the Winged Cap of the king in Joseon Dynasty(1392~1910) of Korea, worn with Gonryongpo, the royal robe of  the king were shaped after  the wing of cicada. Koreans regarded cicada as an auspicious insect, considered it as the representation of the noble poverty, humbleness and sense of honor due to the characteristic of cicada.

SIN Kwoon I pursues his own expression technique with a few themes he is interested in. According to his note “the art is painting the artists’ own color in all of the shapes in the world” and “the wisdom of the artists comes from the acknowledgement in what to include and exclude in canvas.” As his word implies, the color is as important component as the form and he distinctly attempt to express the main object he depicts through vivid color and for the other factors he decisively treat them as background.

The themes he often focuses on are sunflowers and the sun. The sun which symbolizes the soleness and the powerful authority, and the sunflower that represents the wealth and luck are both auspicious images without doubt. SIN Kwoon I expresses the objects that are already familiar to the audience, yet to use his unique color and techniques, which can bring the sympathy with his paintings as medium.

The exhibition is expected to arouse sympathy to both Hong Kong and Korean audiences as the exhibition is about auspicious symbols that are universally popular. The exhibition will be held from 13 February to 9 March 2019 on 6th and 7th floor of Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong.

About the Artist

KOH Yeo Myoung (1983~)

EDUCATION

2009 Speos Paris Photographic Institute, Paris France

EXHIBITION

2018 ER - ONES , ShenZhen, China

2017 Chochungdo - art space purl, Daegu, Korea

2016 The Rose - Art in the office, HnA Partners, Seoul, Korea

2016 Unexpected salon, Hnart, Seoul, Korea

2014 Vegetables and Fruits, glalerie89, Paris, France

2013 Korea International Photo Festival, Insa Art center, Seoul, Korea

2012 Bacja, glalerie89, Paris, France

2011 Humain, glalerie89, Paris, France

For more inquiries about KOH’s art pieces, please contact to blue1koh@gmail.com .

SIN Kwoon I (1967~)

EDUCATION

Master, College of Confucian Studies and Eastern Philosophy, Sung Kyun Kwan University, Korea

Ph.D., College of Philosophy, Wonkwang University, Korea

EXHIBITION

2018 Busan International Art Fair

2018 Praha Žofín Palace, Czech Republic.

2018 India Hemis, India.

2017 Smd School, Nepal.

2016 Superior Gallery, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

For more inquiries about SIN’s art pieces, please contact to mbs2030@naver.com .