The Land - The People: Contenporary Korean Prints

The Land - The People Exhibition in the University Library Gallery

The exhibition was in the University Library Gallery through the dates of Febuary 6-May 17, 2014. It showed a range of ten contemporary artists from South Korea. Using different techniques, each of the artists expressed their style that shows  techniques of Asian printmaking, like wood block printing, linocut, digital and silicon prints. The art in The land - The People, shows a range of color, style and techniques that exhibits South Korea's unique printmaking.

Jung Won Chul, Portrait in Gray #2, 2001, Linocut

Jung Won Chul's print making style is realistic withe every line and feature emphasized in the depictions of the women's faces. He depicts older women in his linocuts that have survived the abuse of being forced prostitutes for the Japanese soldiers during WWII. The emotion that is conveyed in his depictions of these women is done through the detail and the size of the portraits. His portrait in Gray #2 shows this emotion in the facial expression, lines and value emphasized on the face. This style of realism is also seen in the powerful portraits in the piece "Face to Face" which is printed on long PVC sheets that are lined up, each showing a different realistic portrait of an elderly women. The lines and wrinkles are shown clearly on each of their faces. The material PVC (polivinyl chloride) makes the Linocut portraits clear because of the light the material captures.

Jung Won Chul, Face to Face, 2004, Linocut printed on PVC sheet

Detail of "Face to Face"

 The 12 woodcut prints by Ryu Yeun Bok show the Gumgang Mountain because it is the only part of North Korea in which South Koreans are allowed to go. The prints show different aspects of the location in a range of colors and values. The style references ancient prints and is reminiscent of Chinese and Korean landscape depictions. The prints emphasize the significance that a location can have to a culture, and shows the beauty and diversity that can be seen in nature.

Ryu Yeun Bok, Gumgang Mountain, 2007, Series of 12 woodcuts

Detail of Gumgang Mountain 12 woodcuts

The last art pieces that caught my attention at the exhibition of Korean printmaking, was Yoon Yeo Geul's, depictions of urban settings rather then natural landscapes. His complex webbed lines created a feeling of anxiousness when viewing the buildings and people that he reveals in his depiction of the South Korean city Seoul. At first glance I found it difficult to decipher the shapes and forms of the people within chaotic lines of the relief, but the appearance of the scrambled style gave the reliefs the frantic feeling that one might experience living in a modern and fast paced city.

Yoon Yeo Geul, from left to right, 11:37 am Jongrol, 2009, 5:22 pm Shinchon, 2009, and 2:01 pm Myungdong, 2009. woodcut.

Yoon Yeo Geul, Myungdong, 2009