The solo exhibition 《Modular Vision》 by artist Hwang Wonhae is currently on view at SOMA Museum of Art, operated by the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, and will run until December 19. Hwang has long used urban imagery as a central subject in his practice. In previous works, he experimented with compositing architectural elements from the past and present and reconfiguring them into new spatial arrangements, or layering and synthesizing the geometric components and patterns of the city. This exhibition, however, shifts focus away from surface-level urban imagery toward a more subjective interpretation, filling the exhibition space with drawings.

The concept of a "module" typically begins with a square shape—a standardized unit designed for systematic repetition. The work 〈Streaming〉 evokes the silhouette of mountains visible between buildings, a defining feature of Seoul’s urban landscape. Meanwhile, 〈Sheet〉 conjures the image of a monochrome garden shrouded in black mist. Large-scale wall drawings made with airbrush techniques create forms that blend urban and natural elements.

In the inner section of the gallery, the titular work 〈Modular Vision〉—“the illusion of the module”—brings together the artist’s compositional energy, previously confined to square canvases, and expands it through drawing. Attempting to capture three-dimensional urban imagery on a flat surface, the piece uses a mix of techniques and materials including drawing, airbrush, translucent sheets, and screentone, creating an optical illusion of dimensionality within the viewer’s perception. Through these works, Hwang encourages viewers to reflect on and reinterpret their experience of the city.

Hwang Wonhae has lived for many years in Sangsu-dong, Seoul. The Mapo-gu area, centered around Hongdae, lies at the heart of consumer capitalism. Shops that didn’t exist yesterday open today, while long-standing establishments with decades of history suddenly disappear. Buildings are demolished and rebuilt overnight. Hwang has long observed and responded to the rapidly transforming environment and character of this urban setting.

The city is dynamic and compelling, yet simultaneously a fragmented landscape embedded in individual memory. The ever-changing scenery of the metropolis—its crowds, its roads—becomes layered through recollection. After a process of reinterpretation, the artist distills these impressions into abstract paintings.

Hwang interprets the city through images like the reflections on glass windows of tall buildings, the shimmering surfaces of puddles after rain, or a skyline cloaked in fog. The city, in its constant flux, produces ambiguous images. Through the use of modular square canvases, translucent layers, subtle color tones, and drawn elements, these images become abstracted expressions of the urban experience.

References

• 서울문화투데이 (Seoul Culture Today)