Leeahn Gallery presents an exhibition, 《Weaved Land》, consisting of works by Kyungchul Shin (b.1978) and Woohyun Shim (b.1987) from August 4 until September 5, 2015. Kyungchul Shin expresses the subjects of nature, such as mountain, tree, leaf, in big scale and abstract shapes, and Woohyun Shim creates the landscape and nature based on the artist’s perception and intuition on the erotic energy aroused from it.

Shin’s painting portrays the subjects that are commonly caught up by eyes such as small islands floating on the sea, giant range of mountains, trees, grasses, leaves and the images existing in the artist’s memories. Composing the surface created out of one colour and the rendering of pencils, the portrayed landscape of the painting seems to show the enlarged scenery of nature from the microscopic perspective. Even the deliberate movement of vein of leaves are drawn and extended throughout the surface until the point where any marginal spaces are indistinguishable. Consequently, this representation of the nature conjures up the feeling of abstract art.

His paintings demonstrate the reconstruction and reversal of two different images. The subject matters are depicted with the least amount of paint and then its outlines are filled up by pencil rendering. This artistic process creates two contrasting methods and two dividing spaces: central spaces where the main landscape is depicted and the marginal spaces. For instance,  TH(H)ERE-103 seems to be visually articulated due to the detailed expression of the veins of leaves, however, at the same time, it also looks like a topographical image when observed from a distance. Viewers will find interesting to see the contrast between both mediums, planes and lines, improvisation and intention and abstract elements and detailed elements.

The vivid and flamboyant colours of the forest depicted in Woohyun Shim’s painting have an enchantment to open every sense of our bodies. Inspired by the beauty of wildness found in the forest when she was a child, Shim has developed the sensual images that trigger visual curiosity and secretive communication. Eros, the origin or the birth of all the living creatures, is the main element from which she has extended the story and mythical imageries throughout the paintings. Shim employed the pure colours with short and multi-layered brush strokes.

The main theme of her paintings is the ‘sphere of Satyr’. Satyr is god of the wild, hunting companion of the nymphs. Usually depicted as being half human, while having the legs and horns of a goat, he is the central subject in literature, fine art as well as music. Trying to escape from the seduction of Satyr and seducing him at the same time, Nymphs in the paintings are also interesting subject matter that keeps imbuing the forest with the sexual atmosphere and intensity.

Those subject matters as well as the artist’s technique of employing paints and brushstrokes create the wildness of the forest and the nature. The free movement of the brush strokes seems to demonstrate automatism as well as the contrast between the blurred figure and intense forest. As a result of it, this creates the depth in the composition. Therefore, her paintings are the places in which fiction and reality; consciousness and unconsciousness; memories and reconstruction of memories coexist together.

References

• 《Weaved Land》