Installation view
of 《Myonghi Kang - Visit》 ©Seoul Museum of Art. Photo: HONG Cheolki.The Seoul
Museum of Art (SeMA) presents a solo exhibition 《Myonghi
Kang - Visit》 by Myonghi Kang, on view through June 8
at its Seosomun Main Branch. This exhibition reexamines the work of Myonghi
Kang, a Korean female artist who left Korea in 1972 and has since worked
between Korea and abroad. Spanning over six decades of her artistic career, the
exhibition is structured into three thematic sections, bringing together major
works scattered across domestic and international collections.
This
exhibition offers a rare opportunity to explore the representative works of
Myonghi Kang, an artist who has captured the essence of nature and its
relationship with existence on canvas, establishing a distinct realm of
painting. The exhibition is structured into three thematic sections—"Living
in Seogwangdong-ri,” “Visit,” and “Secret Garden”—which reflect the artist’s
spatial and temporal experiences as well as the flow of her consciousness.
Installation view
of 《Myonghi Kang - Visit》 ©Seoul Museum of Art. Photo: HONG Cheolki.“Living
in Seogwangdong-ri” primarily features Kang’s more recent works created while
residing in Jeju Island. “Visit” showcases works inspired by her life in France
and travels across various countries, while “Secret Garden” presents her early
works from the 1960s to the 1980s.
In a
contemporary society where the very existence of nature is under threat,
Myonghi Kang’s work seeks to heal and console the wounds of our time through
the power of art. As part of the exhibition’s public programs, a lecture series
will deepen the understanding of the artist's practice, and a poetry workshop
will invite participants to express emotions and memories evoked by her works
in poetic form.
Additionally,
in May, an exhibition catalog featuring contributions from both domestic and
international scholars will be published, offering a comprehensive study of
Kang’s work and enriching the academic discourse surrounding her practice.
