By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee
The first exhibition in the "The Story of Living Hwayangyeonhwa" K-Art Representative Artist Series, Kim Yong-mo’s invitational solo exhibition was held from April 3 to April 8, 2024 at Heesu Gallery in Insa-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul.
The works in the "Story of Living" series convey a variety of positive messages such as happiness, love, hope, and respect, and the artist's desire to share the joy of living is evident in the pristine beauty of the works.
The bold outlines of the images provide clarity, and the works, which clarify their inherent properties and characteristics, are decomposed into their components to express new combinations, and then reassembled on the canvas to create something new.
The aesthetic language created by the artist's artistic creativity and imagination, based on his unique lyrical sensibility, is a pleasant composition of lines and colors, a composition of dynamic and geometric shapes, and a romantic abstract expression in a painting world that expresses meaning and value rather than simple visual reproduction, and is free from the bondage of realistic concepts.
"I want to share the spirit of spring, which marks the beginning of life, with many people, and create a time to feel the importance of happiness that each other pursues through my works," Artist Kim Yong-mo said in this exhibition.
The everyday nature becomes the subject of his works. The overlapping and layered materials become the leaves and trunks of flowers and trees, and the lifelike presentation of the images is enough to make viewers feel comfortable. The artist's work is effortless and natural, stimulating excitement and curiosity to linger in front of the work.
The subject matter is depicted in a curvaceous way to make it stand out, giving it a sense of depth and interest. The works are realistic to the point of delicacy when viewed from a distance, but crude when viewed up close, conveying different emotions depending on the distance.
The artist is contributing to the development of Korean culture and art by founding 'Insadong People' and the International Contemporary Art Association, which are art organizations of mid-career artists representing Korea, and is making Insadong an art center by supporting the exhibition of emerging artists and helping artists with his creative activities by holding outstanding special exhibitions.
The artist Kim is a graduate of the New York University Graduate School of Western Art (NYU) and currently serves as the chairman of the International Contemporary Art Association, chairman of the Insadong Art Fair, advisory board member of the Seoul Arts Center, and chairman of the World Peace Art Exhibition Committee.
