A ‘quiet revolution’ that changes how we see... Gallery P&R opens Korea-Germany exchange exhibition [fn Art Snap]

The Mona Lisa’s face transformed by artificial intelligence (AI) and a painted bronze figure with strikingly large feet unsettle familiar ways of seeing. The ‘revolution’ proposed by six Korean and German artists gathered in Seoul’s Buam-dong begins with a shift in how we sense and see the world.Gallery P&R (Poetry & Revolution) held the opening ceremony for its first curated exhibition, ‘Poetry and Revolution, and Beyond,’ at its exhibition space in Buam-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the afternoon of the 16th. Co-curated with Gallery Klose in Essen, Germany, it is the gallery’s first international exchange exhibition.■ Artists’ perspectives on ‘what lies beyond’Kim Hyeon-seon, P&R’s artistic director, explained that ‘what lies beyond’ poses the question, “What lies beyond the work I’ve done, the values I’ve believed in, and the life I’ve lived?” The world beyond may hold not only beauty but also confusion and fear, but the unfamiliar arrives alongside a sense of excitement.
Kim described ‘poetry’ as the power to look at something for a long time, and ‘revolution’ as the moment when encountering the familiar world anew changes one’s perspective. “In that sense, poetry is the quietest revolution,” Kim said. P&R plans to make ‘Poetry and Revolution,’ a concept drawn from the gallery’s name, a signature exhibition held annually.
Kim noted that judgments based on familiar standards can sometimes prevent us from seeing something new. Rather than rushing to judge a work we do not understand, Kim suggested “looking at it for a long time and asking why it feels unfamiliar.”
Kim also said, “When we endure the time of not knowing, worlds that were invisible slowly take shape,” and expressed hope that visitors would leave the gallery seeing the world a little differently.
In his congratulatory remarks, Financial News President Song Ui-dal said he agreed with the exhibition’s message: “Going beyond who we have been and discovering a new world through small sensory experiences.” He also said he first visited P&R about three months ago, where Park Gwang-seong’s work deeply moved him.
The opening ceremony was attended by Kim Jong-gyu, honorary chairman of the Korea Museum Association; Lee Sun-jong, chair of the board of the Jamunbak Cultural Forum; and officials from the German Embassy in Korea, among others. Park Gwang-seong and Han Jeong-yeop greeted guests at the venue, and a traditional Korean vocal music performance and exhibition tour were also held.■ X, lacquer and AI: probing existence and perceptionThe exhibition features Park Gwang-seong, Han Jeong-yeop and Lee Tae-hyeon, as well as Markus Lüpertz, Max Uhlig and Jörg W. Schirmer.
Park Gwang-seong’s ‘Possession and Existence’ and ‘Portrait of Zeus’ ask what it means to exist. The red X crossing the black field layers the symbolism of Zeus with the idea of eternity. By recasting a mythological being as an image of us living today, the works invite reflection on identity and freedom.
Han Jeong-yeop explores the relationships among color, form and pattern using his self-developed creative system, ‘Creative AI Engine.’ The ‘Hyper Mona Lisa’ series transforms familiar faces from art history with AI.
When AI generates an unexpected form, people look for familiar faces and meaning in it. The artist explores the moment when an image that never actually existed is experienced as real through perception and emotion. The video ‘Mona Lisa of Hallucination’ is also on view.
Lee Tae-hyeon’s 2021 work ‘Untitled’ was built up in more than 20 layers by repeatedly applying lacquer to concrete, letting it harden and then polishing it. The surface, which appears black, reveals a deep red when it catches the light. The repeated process of applying and drying the lacquer also accumulates time on the material’s surface. Lee’s 2020 ‘Untitled,’ made with ceramic materials, is also included.
■ The human body, myth and line: variations on familiar formsSchirmer’s painted bronze sculptures distort the proportions and perspective of the human body. The large feet prominent in works such as ‘Akrobat mittel’ originated in an ‘ant’s-eye view’ of the body from below. He applies a white ground to the bronze, adds color and polishes it, layering painting and sculpture on a single surface. Ink drawings and paintings are also on view, offering a look at works that move between two and three dimensions.
In ‘Ohne Titel (Michael Engel),’ Lüpertz reinterprets a figure from Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling fresco, adding gouache over a lithograph. He simplifies forms and emphasizes certain areas, combining figuration and abstraction. ‘Europa’ is presented as a painted bronze sculpture and a woodcut, while ‘Stillleben III’ is a lithograph.
Uhlig presents works on paper made with ink, watercolor and oil pastel. Rather than fixing the outlines of figures and landscapes, he brings his subjects into view through the movement and density of layered lines. Following the rhythm created by the lines, viewers can explore the boundary between figuration and abstraction.
The exhibition runs through November 30. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. and closed on Sundays, Mondays and public holidays.
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