By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

If Wittgenstein, a master of modern philosophy, once said, "The ultimate goal of philosophy is to show the fly the way out of the bottle," then the ultimate goal of art would be described as "to make the fly in the bottle dance, sing, and dream, so that it can overcome the gravity of reality." 

In other words, art, with its unique imagination and creativity, is the pursuit of self-reflection, which includes not only philosophy but also the so-called literary periods of literature, history, and the humanities, and should be aimed at eternity while seeing the limits of human capabilities and expanding horizons. 

In that sense, an insightful artist who is free from gravity will naturally turn to the world of spirituality based on refined humanity and sensitivity at the last moment of desperation. 

"Who said life is a story?"

If life is a story, then it stands to reason that the practice of art should naturally translate one's own unique life struggles and enlightenment into stories through art. 

In the end, a true artist should be a storyteller who puts his or her artistic soul into a work of art that tells a unique story of enlightenment. Sculptor Jeon Hang-sup is a natural storyteller. 

Although the artist's work may be laced with candy, his wood-based artworks are so folksy, unpretentious, and old-fashioned that you feel more at home looking at a nostalgic prop in a mill warehouse than a work of art. Perhaps it's because the artist's tender-hearted personality is reflected in his wood carvings. 

However, when you actually stand in front of his works, the viewer's heart is filled with mystery and reverence rather than politeness. The title of the exhibition sculpture makes you breathe out a big "ah ha!" because the main theme of the exhibition is the 'Tree Scripture’. 

It's called the "Tree Scripture. As if facing the lesson of enlightenment given by the tree, the standing statues in the exhibition exude the scent of a seeker striving on the path of enlightenment, reminiscent of the crucifixion, as if the Buddha clasped his hands together. 

But how can the single-mindedness of a seeker give him immunity from the requirements of art? Certainly not, for art has the mission of providing energy for life-creating vitality that goes beyond the boundaries of faith. 

The artist's artistic endeavors must be both secretive and intricate, and fierce. 

We hope that this sculpture exhibition at Artlian by the storyteller, Jeon Hang-sup, will serve as an opportunity for the meaning of the life-creating work that he intended to express to emerge anew, while also enriching our lives with a new interpretation of the attributes of love, which are fundamental to sustaining life, such as 'secrecy', 'density', and 'fierceness'. 

Exhibition location

Artlian Culppy Museum, 128 Namseong-gil, Sinchang-myeon, Asan City, Chungcheongnam-do / 02 6958 6728

(Writer in Korean: Jooksan Ryu Joon-ki)