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| Kwon Jin-kyu's "Self Portrait" (1968), left, and "Self Portrait" (1969-70) / Courtesy of Kwon Jin Kyu Commemoration Foundation, SeMA |
Ongoing exhibition marks sculptor's birth centennial
By Park Han-sol
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| Kwon Jin-kyu, a pioneer of modern sculpture in Korea / Courtesy of Kwon Jin Kyu Commemoration Foundation |
In his poem featured in the Chosun Ilbo daily in 1972, pioneering sculptor Kwon Jin-kyu (1922-1973) details his distinctive artistic goal to materialize what he calls an "angel of my atelier" ― the pure spiritual ideals that transcend time and space.
Borrowing the sculptor's definition of his own oeuvre, the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) in central Seoul is hosting his largest retrospective to date, titled "Kwon Jin Kyu Centennial: Angel of Atelier," in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of his birth.
More than 240 works of terracotta and lacquer sculptures, reliefs, drawings and oil paintings spanning between the 1950s and 1970s are on display. Visually speaking, the exhibition is structured to resemble the shape of the brick well and kiln Kwon used when he was alive, thereby transforming itself into an alluring journey to the artist's studio.
"While Kwon is most famously labeled as an artist in a lifelong pursuit of 'Korean realism,' the element he ultimately sought for in his works is neither realism nor beauty, but a sense of eternity," curator Han Hee-jean said at a press conference held recently at the museum.
"The sculptor would closely observe objects and human models around him, but instead of simply replicating their physical realness, he would encapsulate the invisible essence that lies within each of them and eternalize it."
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| Kwon Jin-kyu's "Bust 'Z'" (1967) / Courtesy of SeMA |
Therefore, although his subjects varied widely throughout the two decades of his artistic career ― from his signature female busts and self-portraits to statues of Buddha and Jesus Christ and animal sculptures ― his effort to capture the spiritual essence within them remained the same.
Kwon's goal to represent "eternity" in his sculptures was also the reason why he chose the medium of terracotta ― which he described as a material that doesn't rot easily, as seen from the surviving burial artifacts from ancient times ― and lacquer, which is distinctively resistant to damage by water, abrasion and acid.
But while using these traditional materials and methods, he never failed to incorporate his own artistic style. For example, although lacquer products are typically designed to have a smooth surface layer, Kwon purposefully added hemp cloth, wood flour and red clay powder to transform his sculptures with a uniquely rough texture.
Han described the sculptor as "a true modernist" for refusing to assign hierarchy or make a clear distinction between the figurative and the abstract, the East and the West, women and men and the secular and the ideal in his works.
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| Kwon Jin-kyu's "Crucifixion" (1970) / Courtesy of SeMA |
His "Crucifixion" is one example, where he fused the symbols of Christianity (Jesus Christ) and Buddhism (wheel of dharma) into a peculiar whole. Similarly, "Buddha Statue" combines the head of Maitreya, a bodhisattva, and the body of the Buddha, thereby merging the secular world with the transcendent ideal.
One aspect of Kwon's life that is seared into the collective memory is none other than his death, when he took his own life at the age of 51 in his studio ― the same day he attended an exhibition at Korea University, where three of his own pieces were on display.
Although the exact reason behind his suicide remains undisclosed, some speculate that he suffered from internal torment for being unable to achieve the level of perfection he long yearned for or possibly his unrequited love for one of his pupils.
He was said to be frustrated by his sculptures being unable to appeal to the public largely due to the unfamiliar nature of his works, which were not influenced by any schools of thought or trends in Korea at the time.
"But one thing is for certain: Kwon was able to establish his own sense of modernity in his oeuvre, making him an iconic and meaningful figure in the history of Korean sculpture," Han said.
"Kwon Jin Kyu Centennial: Angel of Atelier" runs through May 22 at SeMA. After the Seoul edition, the show is scheduled to travel to Gwangju Museum of Art in July. SeMA will also establish a permanent exhibition hall dedicated to the artist at the Nam-Seoul Museum of Art in Gwanak District next year.
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| Installation view of the exhibition, "Kwon Jin Kyu Centennial: Angel of Atelier," held at the Seoul Museum of Art / Courtesy of SeMA |
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