Shindonga | No Massé While Wearing a Skirt!
A pictorial feature in the 'Print Exhibition' section of the June 2015 issue of monthly Shindonga introduced seven pieces from Kim Hyun Jung's Naesoong series, in which a woman in resplendent hanbok engages in contemporary activities — billiards, a marathon, sit-ups, a delivery motorcycle — each paired with a witty one-line caption. Text by editorial board member Lee Jung-hoon.
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Print Exhibition
No Massé While Wearing a Skirt!
Kim Hyun Jung, always dressed in vivid hanbok wherever she goes, draws attention wherever she is with her graceful bearing. And the theme she offers up is "cheekiness." She renders it beautifully — under the title "Naesoong" (pretense). Wanting to be pretty is a desire; wanting to be comfortable is a desire too. Korean painting (韓國畵), which we thought so dignified, suddenly turns sexy. And yet she herself is a cautious, shy young woman. Ah — is this pretense too...? (Ink and color with collage on hanji)
Text by Lee Jung-hoon, Editorial Board Member | hoon@donga.com |
The moment I saw this painting, I wanted to shout, "No massé while wearing a skirt!"
Show Me the Money: Naive Lady, 112×134cm, 2014.
Jjajangmyeon tastes better eaten comfortably, without minding anyone's gaze.
Naesoong: The Perfect Table, 130×162cm, 2013.
Everyone exercises with an eye on those around them. Even a beautiful young woman is no different.
Naesoong: Marathoner, 200×121cm, 2014.
There's nothing sexier than sit-ups done for someone else's sake.
Naesoong: A Meeting Disguised as Coincidence, 129×153cm, 2013.
Does listening to music really calm you down?
Naesoong: Tremble, 67.5×60cm, 2013.
It's all about the swagger, after all — the McDonald's motorbike is what makes me run.
Naesoong: You, Who Move Me, 130×196cm, 2013.
Even all dressed up, warmth is what's good — it's what puts me at ease.
Naesoong: I Find Comfort Through You, 130×170cm, 2013.
Kim Hyun Jung
Born in Seoul in 1988. Graduated from Sun Hwa Arts High School and Seoul National University with degrees in Oriental Painting and Business Administration, completing her master's in Oriental Painting at the same graduate school. Art book "2014 Naesoong Olympics," illustrated collection "Kim Hyun Jung's Naesoong."