Albert Willem , Etsu Egami , Gongkan , Raymond Lemstra, Wang Xiyao, Woo Kukwon , Yoon Hyup, Yuyelai
From November 26 to December 31, 2022, Tang Contemporary Art will be holding <<L'Empire des sens>>, an exhibition by contemporary artists who will lead the next generation. Not only does this exhibition tells the story of how the 8 participating artists face the world, gain awareness and deal with the present as they build their reputations worldwide, but it is also the start of a conversation with us.
Words, like flowers, have their colors too. - Ernest Rhys
What will be the color of the words shared by the 8 artists with the audience?
Observe the world through the works of Etsu Egami, Raymond Lemstra, and Yuyelai. When we look in the same direction as others and communicate with each other, we realize that we are part of the world. The exchange between art and values leads to greater consciousness about one's own existence and enables the audience to resonate with the works.
Observing human communication and sympathy, the fundamental limitations of communication became the starting point for the works of Etsu Egami. Etsu Egami was born and raised in Japan, and while studying in China and Germany, she personally experienced communication limits at the crossroads of various languages and cultures. From that perspective, she starts to engage in more passionate and communicative conversation as an artist and explores empathy and understanding about limitations.
Using strict geometric language that evokes immediate recognition, Raymond Lemstra's joyful observation of the human impulse visually perceives life in harmony between conception and abstraction. Through carefully applied selective emphasis contrasted with intentional collision, the artist explores human cognition and seeks to inspire a sense of joy and discovery in the process.
Yuyelai explores the meaning of human existence as she pursues a pure state. Her bold sketches and flowing brush strokes are founded on her background in Eastern classical studies and philosophy, embodying her desire to approach and confront human nature.
It is not easy to interpret the world in a joyful way. We see how this is being drawn out by Albert Willem, Woo Kukwon and Yoon Hyup in their works. There is a sense of cheerfulness and joy in their works. Whatever the situation may be, staying composed while displaying traits of vitality, humor, and wit is definitely no easy task. The humorous and allegorical language in their works reaches the audience with lighthearted persuasiveness.
Albert Willem finds special joie de vivre in everyday life and in crowds. Painting like a child, he intentionally avoids profound or serious subjects, portraying daily life in a way that draw smiles from the audience when they look at his works. This method may contradict reality at times, but some people find strength in the wit of these works to start a new day.
The characters in Woo Kukwon's works remind us of fables, such as Aesop's Fables, that were read as a child. Through the expressions and actions of personified animals and characters, we forget the fatigue of reality and learn a new way of life. The matière, expressed by scratching thick layers of oil paint which gives a thin thread-like appearance, is a characteristic of his work, and this expression technique seems to connect us with the fables of Woo Kukwon.
Yoon Hyup expresses what exists in reality beyond the city and space. Through his hands, the invisible flow and energy take visual form into beautiful and colorful dots and lines which are created into works. The positive energy expressed this way becomes how we look at and perceive of the space in which we exist, creating a joyful rhythm in our hearts.
Wang Xiyao and Gongkan face and reinterpret reality through their works. This is how they deal with reality.
The works of Wang Xiyaocontain real-life landscapes, movements, and thoughts. Bold drawings comprising of colors and lines give a dynamic expression of the artist's mind and body, perspectives, emotions, and thoughts. The artist's works, a combination of Eastern and Western philosophies with the thoughts of a new generation, influences the audience and becomes yet another new idea.
Teleport to a moment of tranquility through the works of Gongkan. Teleport, a means to reach anywhere, becomes an escape portal representing the beauty of equality and hope to all of us living in the real world. Transformed by the black teleport, the background becomes poetic by contrast and radiates more beauty.
As with artists in all ages, the environment surrounding them and their current era are important motifs for them. Through art, we look at the present day and create the present-day look. The stories of contemporary artists living in the same era are products of contemporary culture and are records of the present day. Their conversations with the audience today will have as much value as the meaning we give these conversations, which will grow further.
Curator
Yonni Park, Jeeeun Hong