Shadow And Light

Opera Gallery’s Exhibition ‘Shadow Of A Pine Tree’ Shows Some Of The Best Sculptural Works By Korean Contemporary Artists. 

- Rachel NG

Looking broadly at Korean contemporary art, two distinct groups emerge, one technological, the other traditional. These distinctions refer not so much to aesthetics but the choice of material and technique. Artists like Choe U-Ram, Lee Bul, Haegue Yang, and video artist duo Moon Kyungwon and Jeon Joonho come to mind in the first category, where the use of software and electronics, amongst other digital technologies, create works that evoke futurism and science fiction. Falling under the traditional are artists like Chun Kwang-young, Yeesookyung, and Kang Ik-joong, who employ traditional materials or motifs like Korean hanji paper and Korean ceramics but reconfigure their uses and meanings in contemporary ways.