Exhibition view of “Surreal Encounter: Across the Realms” at the Kumho Museum of Art, Seoul. (November 24, 2023 – February 4, 2024). Courtesy of the artists and the museum.The group exhibition Surreal Encounter: Across the Realms at the Geumho Art Museum allows viewers to expand their perception of time and space through diverse artworks that transcend urban, natural, real, and virtual scenes. Featuring the recent and early works of seven mid-career artists, the exhibition showcases a total of 83 pieces, providing insight into each artist’s unique perspective and artistic development.
Each artist portrays landscapes within spaces using their distinctive viewpoints and methods. Artist Jeongsun Yoon (b. 1971) captures memories within the canvas by depicting everyday streets and neighborhood landscapes. Sunjoo Shin (b. 1972) integrates time and history into powerful black-and-white architectural scenes in her paintings. Manna Lee (b. 1971) transfers overlooked aspects of urban landscapes onto the canvas with a sense of unfamiliarity. Sungwook Do (b. 1971) creates realistic paintings that resemble photography of the light and air unfolding in a fantastical forest. Hyunmi Yoo (b. 1964) demonstrates how the text of a novel can be translated into images within the realm of painting, and Boyoung Jeong (b. 1973) explores the flow and traces of light at the boundaries inside and outside buildings. Lastly, Eunyoung Song (b. 1970) investigates the relational dynamics between images, trespassing on each other’s boundaries while expressing interior spaces.
