Opening Reception of 'Pneuma 숨결'

Pneuma 숨결

Choi Young-Wook, Kim Duck-Yong, Kim Young-Hun and Lee Gee-Jo

Date: 3 October - 9 November 2024

Opening Reception: 3 October (Thursday) 6 - 8pm

Venue: Soluna Fine Art, GF, 52 Sai Street, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong

Soluna Fine Art proudly presents Pneuma 숨결, a group show featuring four established Korean contemporary artists: Choi Young-Wook, Kim Duck-Yong, Kim Young-Hun and Lee Gee-Jo. The word Pneuma originates from ancient Greek, meaning “breath”, and can also be interpreted as “spirit” or “soul”. This exhibition aims to break down the boundaries between art and materiality, embodying the essence of Korean aesthetics and sharing the connected breath between the works and the soul. Through Pneuma 숨결, each artists intertwine traditional culture with their personal expression, presenting rich and diverse artistic styles that collectively reflect the unique spirit of contemporary Korean art.

Pneuma 숨결 will be on view at Soluna Fine Art from 3 October to 9 November 2024, with an opening reception on 3 October (Thurs) at 6 - 8 pm.

About Choi Young-Wook

Choi Young-Wook (b. 1964) graduated from Hongik University in Seoul with a B.F.A. in Painting and an M.F.A. Over the past decade, Choi has devoted his efforts to mastering the moon jar as an art form. While his technique produces a strikingly lifelike effect on his subject matter, Choi’s ultimate objective is not merely to replicate the image of the porcelain vessel. His technique and style have evolved to connect East Asian tradition with the expressive methods of Western modern painting. Under Choi’s brush, the historic Joseon moon jar transcends space and time, becoming modern and relevant to us once again. Choi’s works are featured in both private collections and museums, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gyeonggi Museum of Contemporary Art, and Philadelphia Museum of Art, among others.

About Kim Duck-Yong

Kim Duck-Yong (b. 1961) was born in Gwangju, Korea, and received his B.F.A. and M.F.A. from the Department of Painting at Seoul National University in Korea. By integrating both traditional and contemporary practices in his work of art, he, on one hand, follows the tradition of oriental paintings by using ancient wood as his canvas, which allows the viewer to sense the warmth of nature through minor details. On the other hand, by highlighting the importance of traditional materials and painting key iconographies that echo with his heritage, Kim primarily explores the contemporary mechanics of Korean society. In other words, Kim’s paintings reveal the change of time with its attribute of intergenerational transience that overarches old and new histories. With works placed in important institutional collections in Korea such as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul Museum of Art, Park Soo-Keun Museum, and Gyeonggi Museum of Art, Kim has been recognized as one of the established artists among the Korean art scene.

About Kim Young-Hun

Kim Young-Hun (b. 1964 in Nonsan, Korea) is currently based between New York City and Seoul. He obtained B.F.A. in painting from Hongik University and holds two M.F.A. from Chelsea College of Art and Design and Goldsmiths College in London. Living through the transition between the analog and digital generations, Kim is passionate about observing and deciphering the unknown between the 1 and 0 binary codes. His works demonstrate a traditional Korean painting technique called Hyuk-pil (革筆畫), in which the painter mixes various colors and paints with rapid strokes using a leather brush. The multi-colored stripes that seem to flow like ink are made by one continuous brush stroke across the canvas, with the oil colors melting together and permeating into the canvas. Kim has exhibited extensively internationally, with over 15 solo and 70 group exhibitions. His paintings are in several prestigious public and corporate collections, including Bank of America, The Arts Club, and numerous museums.

About Lee Gee-Jo

Lee Gee-Jo (b. 1959) was born in Jeju, Korea. After graduating from Seoul National University with a B.A. and an M.A. in pottery, he currently works as a professor at Chung-Ang University’s College of Arts and Crafts. He has been working on the production and study of white porcelain for many years, starting with the Korean Craft Special Exhibition in 1987. He has exhibited his works through various solo exhibitions in Korea and abroad, including the solo exhibition “Modern Transformation of Korean White Porcelain”, MAISON & OBJETS in Paris, France and the Philadelphia Craft Festival. He has also participated in leading exhibitions such as the World Ceramic Biennale held in Incheon, the Craft Trend Fair Exhibition (Korea Craft Promotion Foundation), Korean Crafts 2014 in Milan, Italy, etc.

About Soluna Fine Art

Soluna Fine Art is a gallery specializing in contemporary fine art and craft. Our mission is to revitalize multicultural aesthetics and philosophy by showcasing exquisite works by established and emerging artists with traditional values in contemporary dialogue. Works by artists represented by Soluna Fine Art can be found in private collections and institutions worldwide. Our annual program includes exhibitions, fairs, educational initiatives, and multi-disciplinary collaborations on an international level.