Hong Sungchul graduated from Hongik University’s Department of Sculpture (1994) and obtained a master’s degree in Fine Art / Integrated Media from the California Institute of the Arts (2001).
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.
