Kookmin Ilbo | Dressed Up in Hanbok, Eating “Ramen”… Eye-Catching “Unconventional Oriental Painting” Trend
Kookmin Ilbo's Kukinews reported on June 19, 2013 on rising Oriental painter Kim Hyun Jung's exhibition "Kim Hyun Jung's Naesoong Story," noting that her unconventional figure paintings — satirizing contemporary life through images such as a woman cooking ramen in hanbok or dancing the horse-riding dance — were drawing attention. The article discussed her alongside other artists such as Son Dong-hyun and Shin Seon-mi, who have similarly pushed boundaries in Oriental painting.
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[Kuki Culture] "A woman elegantly dressed in hanbok cooking and eating ramen, a woman dancing the horse-riding dance…."
"Unconventional Oriental paintings" depicting contemporary daily life are drawing attention.
The artist behind the buzz is rising Oriental painter Kim Hyun Jung (25), whose exhibition "Kim Hyun Jung's Naesoong Story" was held June 6–13 at Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul Arts Center, Seocho-dong.
The exhibition featured figure paintings that defy conventional expectations, catching visitors' eyes. Behind this "unconventional" mode of expression lies the artist's message pointing out and satirizing various distorted social phenomena.
For instance, regarding her painting of a woman in red hanbok cooking and eating ramen on a portable gas stove, Kim explained, "I wanted to satirize the phenomenon of people eating 1,000-won ramen while drinking 5,000-won coffee." It reflects her concern for contemporary people who live overly conscious of how others perceive them.
This kind of "unconventional Oriental painting" traces back to Son Dong-hyun (33), who debuted in 2006 with his Shrek portrait. He has depicted various figures from foreign films — the Joker, Batman, and villains from the 007 series — in the style of traditional East Asian portraiture.
The unconventional wave in Oriental painting intensified further with Shin Seon-mi (33). In March, Shin held a solo exhibition titled "Meeting the Ant Fairy Again" at Sun Contemporary Gallery in Sogyeok-dong, Seoul. Her unconventional portrait of a woman in hanbok holding a pen in her mouth while writing a household ledger blurs the boundary between past and present.
Reactions among readers to these unconventional attempts in Oriental painting have varied, ranging from "refreshing" to "feels frivolous."
Among experts, however, there is also praise for reinterpreting Oriental painting — which can easily feel outdated — in a contemporary way that draws public interest.
Kookmin Ilbo Kukinews, reporter Kim Dong-woo