In association with our gallery in Seoul, Opera Gallery Paris is proud to present a panorama of today’s Korean art scene, a meticulous selection of the works of eleven emblematic artists. For the very first time in Paris, ‘Regeneration, Perspectives on Korean Art’ throws a spotlight on the creative strength and uniqueness of Korean Contemporary Art. While the world is quite familiar with Japanese and Chinese creations, their Korean cousins, in our opinion, seem to bathe in a particularly fertile environment for creating fascinating, innovative works, the result of what we think of as a poetry of mediums.

Constantly revisiting their traditions and cultural history, Korean artists are fleshing out the beginnings of a quite singular identity. Their creations are always sober, simple; a quest for harmony reflected in the artist’s use of lines and shapes; a use of colors that is often subdued, as if the creations themselves were seeking simplicity in a country having undergone such major transformations, most likely at the root of Korean inventiveness and originality.

Here, Nature is ubiquitous, found in both subject and medium. To rethink and represent Mother Nature in a place that has recently experienced one of the most spectacular modernizations the world has ever known is a true challenge, indeed. Lee Jae Hyo’s wooden sculptures transform and reveal the essence of the material employed, which in turn lends a sort of meditative aura, instantly reminding us of traditional Buddhist works, Land Art and Arte Povera. Rethinking man’s place in a harmonious, Korean society and questioning one’s identity are at the core of the thought process of today’s Korean contemporary artist. The notion of modernization - and the fallout that follows - are explored through Seo Young Deok’s robotlike sculptures of men and women. Lee Lee-Nam mixes up digital and video for creations with a traditional touch. The novelty of the medium used is a signature feature of Korean Contemporary Art. Each artist has his own preferred material and technique, with no two artists using the same. For Ran Hwang this means buttons; Lee Jae Hyo prefers wood; Son Bong Chae opts for LEDilluminated polycarbonate glass and acrylic; Bahk Seon Ghi adopts charcoal; Han Kyung Won uses fire; Illwha Kim stages hand-dyed hanji, also called mulberry paper. Such originality in the mediums used can only be seen only in Korean Contemporary Art which has embellished and transformed it.

The more we study these creations, the more we discern a unique, poetic element combined with a subtle hint of anti-conformism. This explains, in part, why Korea is such a new, exciting hub of artistic talent, worthy of our utmost attention.

Gilles Dyan, Chairman and Founder of Opera Gallery Group
Fatiha Amer, Director of Opera Gallery Paris