GIST Hosts Kim Hyukjung's Invitational Exhibition 'Trajectory of Circulation' at Oryong Art Hall

Poster for the GIST Artist Hyukjung Kim's Invitational Exhibition 'Re:Connect Trajectory of Circulation'.

The solo exhibition "Re:Connect – Trajectory of Circulation" by artist Kim Hyukjung, who has depicted the cycles of nature and the landscapes of the four seasons in vibrant colors, is being held at Oryong Art Hall at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST).

According to GIST on March 16, this marks the 19th invitational exhibition at Oryong Art Hall, which opened in 2022. The exhibition features 45 paintings capturing the flow of nature and the energy of life, and will be open to the public until April 30.

Kim Hyukjung has consistently expressed nature’s transformations and the flow of life through layers of color and pointillist compositions. The densely packed particles of color fill the canvas, forming a unified color field from a distance, while up close, the various hues seem to move with vibrant energy.

This flow of color symbolically illustrates the changes of the four seasons and the cycles of nature. Large series of works following this chromatic movement unfold panoramically along the curved walls of the exhibition space, allowing visitors to experience the changing seasons and the energy of nature in a visually immersive way.

Kim Hyukjung majored in art education at Chonnam National University and completed doctoral studies at Sorbonne University in Paris, France. She has held ten solo exhibitions in Korea and abroad, including an invitational exhibition in Ludwigsburg, Germany. Kim has also actively participated in contemporary art salons such as Salon d’Automne in Paris and Art Fair at Seoul Arts Center, among others.

The signature piece of this exhibition, "Rise as an Island, Bloom as a Flower," symbolically captures the flow of nature and life. Even within isolated moments represented as islands, the work metaphorically depicts the process by which the potential for life, emotion, and growth blooms as flowers—reflecting the continuous connection between nature and human life. The landscape within the piece conveys the quietly passing time and the cycles of nature, inviting viewers to reconsider the relationship between nature, humanity, life, and time.

Exhibition piece from Kim Hyukjung's solo exhibition at Oryong Art Hall (The Day the Camellias Bloomed). Provided by GIST

"The Day the Camellias Bloomed," a work featuring camellia flowers that bloom between winter and early spring, is also on display. The red camellias symbolize the energy and passion of life, and, contrasted against a dark background, serve as a symbolic representation of the coexistence of life and death, tranquility and intensity within the human experience.

In "Summer," one of the four seasons series, the dazzling sunlight and vibrant vitality of the season are rendered in intense colors. The flow of color filling the canvas expresses the energy of nature and the atmosphere of the season, allowing viewers to visually experience the sensations of summer.

Kim Hyukjung stated, "Life is something that blooms as various experiences accumulate over time flowing together with nature," adding, "Rather than the result of a flower blooming, I wanted to capture in my work the meaning of the time and process that brings that flower to bloom."

Professor Jeong Byungsam of Sookmyung Women's University commented, "Kim Hyukjung’s works embrace nature, society, and the human psyche, embodying the artist’s sincere passion to purify a turbulent world through formative art."

President Lim Gicheol said, "If science and technology are the driving forces that change the world, then art is the light that fills that world with beauty. I hope that the landscapes of the four seasons and the warm, letter-like paintings presented by Kim Hyukjung will serve as a gentle greeting from nature to all of us living busy lives."

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