Hong Sungchul, Perceptual Mirror-II, 2003, Mixed media, 230 x 350 x 240 cm © Hong Sungchul

The first exhibition in 2003, 《I·you·us》, is a group exhibition centered on the theme of the “ego.” Fourteen participating artists, ranging in age from their 20s to their 60s, presented their own interpretations of the self through a wide variety of materials and techniques. While self-portraiture is often understood as a genre focused on the frontal depiction of the face, the self-portraits in this exhibition reveal a broad spectrum of expressive approaches.
 
In the self-portraits by Kim Tchah-Sup, who depicts the profound, contemplative figure of a suffering artist, and Kim Hong Joo, who expresses artistic conviction through hyper-realistic representation, one can read the artists’ sense of identity as creators. A more unconventional approach to self-portraiture is found in Kwon Yeohyun’s The Last Supper. Borrowing from Leonardo da Vinci’s original, the artist inserts his own situation into the composition and reconfigures it: the face of Jesus is replaced with the artist’s self-portrait, while the twelve apostles seated on either side are represented by twelve of his actual students.

As suggested by the title 《I∙you∙us》, the self-portraits presented in 《I·you·us》 reflect not only the self but also others and the social community—essential elements that constitute the self. Unlike the monotonous format of an identification photograph, these works present diverse facets of identity. From lively and inventive faces to shocking, grotesque, terrifying, and somber expressions, the exhibition offers a rich spectrum of artistic expression.

References