The Leader | Kim Hyun Jung Solo Exhibition,
Korean painter Kim Hyun Jung's solo exhibition <A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age> runs from September 2 to 14, 2019, at Geumboseong Art Center in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul. The artist said she playfully explored the identity struggles of the younger generation facing the real-life issue of marriage, through parody works borrowing the compositions of famous paintings.
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The solo exhibition of Kim Hyun Jung, the 'icon of Korean painting,' will be held from September 2 to September 14, 2019, on the first floor of Geumboseong Art Center in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. The exhibition is held to commemorate Kim Hyun Jung winning the Korea Young Artist Award, with sponsorship from the Korean Fine Arts Association and Geumboseong Art Center.
This exhibition, <A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age>, lightheartedly captures the identity struggles the artist faces upon confronting the real-life issue of marriage, having to face new roles as someone's wife, daughter-in-law, and mother. The artist seeks to convey how young people, including herself, are coping with the uncertainty of achieving economic independence, the fear of the unknown territory of childbirth and childcare, and the burden of the role of daughter-in-law.
In <A Tray of Eggs, Marrying Age>, Kim Hyun Jung introduces numerous works that borrow the basic compositions and images of famous paintings. Kim said, "I thought the composition and coloring of famous paintings could be effectively used to convey the message the painter wants to express. The wit of parodying masterpieces can soften the weight that the sensitive topic of marriage imposes. Imagining parents and their children of marriageable age coming to see the exhibition together, this charm of wit will shine even brighter."
"What does marriage mean to my peers who have reached 'a tray of eggs' age?"
Our generation's delayed marriages seem influenced not only by economic pressure but also by anxiety and doubt over whether one is truly ready to accept the many changes marriage will bring. But without fundamental change, this problem facing young people won't be easy to shake off. I have woven into this work the issues I've watched, directly experienced, and agonized over from the side. Through this, I want to share the emotional anxiety felt across both the parents' generation and the younger generation, and further remind people that young people's anxiety about marriage is by no means a trivial complaint to be dismissed. I hope this exhibition can serve as a channel for intergenerational communication. That is also why I chose to hold this exhibition during the Chuseok holiday season—a time when young people think about marriage more, and hear more often that 'it's time to get married.'
"I recommend that people who have reached 'a tray of eggs' age take a trip with their parents to quiet, fresh-air Pyeongchang-dong during the Chuseok holiday. Looking at interesting works together and naturally exchanging their own thoughts and concerns might narrow the generational gap in thinking, even just a little. I hope this becomes a time for families to view the exhibition together, share small impressions, and understand one another," she said.
At a survey corner set up in the exhibition hall, visitors can organize their own thoughts while also glimpsing the views on marriage held across all generations. This exhibition also collaborated with Studio A-Part (photographer Kim Do-hyung) and Golden Needle (director Kim Young-mi). Visitors can catch a glimpse of the artist's diverse attempts, including a photo exhibition in which Kim Hyun Jung herself served as the model, and can also participate in various events to shake off holiday stress.