“Wonhae Hwang Solo Exhibition: Curtain.” Pipe Gallery, Seoul.The 1980s were a period of explosive economic growth in South Korea, accompanied by significant changes in people’s lifestyles. During this time, apartment living became widespread, and many buildings were constructed in newly developed urban areas. Artist Wonhae Hwang (b. 1989), who has a keen interest in urban architecture, works on abstract paintings using city images and architectural elements as key components.
Hwang’s solo exhibition at the Pipe Gallery unfolds under the keyword of curtains that both conceal and reveal the external urban landscape. “Curtain,” here, serves as a metaphor for the artist to represent the impression of the city.
Hwang rearranges various elements of urban architecture on a single canvas or overlays the geometric patterns of the city center in her works. This exhibition encapsulates shapes that the artist accidentally grasped through her experiences in the city, combined with her internal impressions of urban life. For Hwang, the city is an organic space, and as she immerses herself in it, she discovers not only visual characteristics but also rhythms inherent in the urban environment.
