‘Natural Circulation’ Captured Through Texture… Kim Yujun Solo Exhibition at Pyo Gallery

My Sky Story 21-50, 2021, 21-50, 130.3x162.2. Photo courtesy of Pyo Gallery

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Painter Kim Yujun, who has been exploring the coexistence of nature and humans through nature-friendly materials and shaping it with Korean colors, is holding a solo exhibition.

Seoul Buam-dong Pyo Gallery announced on the 10th that it will hold Kim Yujun's solo exhibition "The Circulation of Fundamental Stories" until September 8.

In this exhibition, the artist did not simply paint circles expanding from small dots but captured the process of feeling the circulation of nature and its texture on the canvas.

The artist, who has expressed the most Korean elements in a modern way, took the first step through his own time and memories to fully realize this. The continuity of time and memories accumulated throughout life is like the process of completing a circle. The artist says that through the moment when people gather to understand the 'circulation' of the completed circle?the words unsaid, thoughts unspoken at that time?viewers can finally realize the truth of life.

The artist has always created works inspired by nature, based on the fundamental elements of the universe: sky, earth, and humans. In this exhibition, he reflected the cosmic view of 'Cheonwonjibang (天圓地方)'?the sky is round, and the earth is square?in his works.

Sky 22-74, 2022, 162.2x130.3. Photo by Pyo Gallery

The square canvas symbolizes the earth, and the circle drawn inside represents the sky. Within it, Korean elements such as pine trees, rain, Buddha statues, and constellations embody the fundamentals of the universe. Painter Kim Yujun, who learned the principles of the world through the circulation of nature, depicts 'our things' hidden in a rapidly changing world.

The first thing that catches the eye when viewing Kim Yujun's works is the black circle filling the canvas. 'Black' is often perceived as a dull and dark color, but the contrast of black paint on a white canvas creates a more splendid and intense combination than any other color pairing.

The artist applied materials such as Geumgangsa, Gyusa, and Seoksa to express the texture of nature while embodying our unique long-standing sensibility. The deliberately restrained composition evokes a simple and elegant listening experience, and the flat, symmetrical, and stable composition becomes a space for infinite contemplation.

An exhibition official explained, "The artist's style, emphasizing materiality within a minimalist structure, fully reflects the artist's school days when he learned monochromatism and hyperrealism through Korean sentiment and Western art expression methods, as well as the trajectory of contemporary art history."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.