Seoul National University Newspaper | Graduation Exhibition Recommended Works Selected
The Seoul National University Newspaper introduced each department's recommended works from the SNU College of Fine Arts graduation exhibition in its November 20, 2011 article "Graduating, Leaving a Work Behind." Selected as the Oriental Painting Department's representative work, Kim Hyun Jung's (Oriental Painting '08) "Immersion 1" depicts a woman absorbed in her phone, rendered in ink and collage on sun-ji paper.
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Graduating, Leaving a Work Behind
From the 2nd (Friday) through the 11th, the "Seoul National University College of Fine Arts Graduation Exhibition" will be held at the College of Fine Arts (Buildings 49-52), the General Education & Research Building (Building 220), and the Museum of Art (MoA, Building 151), showcasing the students' full effort. This year's exhibition drew some criticism that the number of works was smaller, as many students from the class of '08 deferred graduation to complete a second major. Even so, works filled with the students' own fresh thinking and intense effort will be on display. (Works shown are each department's recommended pieces.)
Oriental Painting Department: Contemporary Techniques Layered on Traditional Materials
Professor Cha Dong-ha (Oriental Painting) said of this year's trends, "This year's works show more variety in materials and visual expression. While many works stay true to the basics, like ink-wash and color painting, some students have used unconventional materials such as mural techniques and photographic techniques to unfold a distinctive world." The Oriental Painting exhibition stands out for its effort to balance contemporary and traditional art, using traditional materials like ink and hanji as a base while expressing individuality through a variety of techniques.
In "Immersion 1," Kim Hyun Jung (Oriental Painting '08) captures an ordinary moment that people casually pass by. In a world where being fully "immersed" in anything can feel difficult, the woman in the work is completely absorbed in her phone, oblivious to everything else. Lines drawn in ink on sun-ji paper quietly reveal the woman's form against the background. Through a collage technique of finely cut hanji pieces, what could have been a plain, colorless garment is transformed into a jeogori (traditional jacket) that softly catches the light across her body.