Hyung Koo Kang
dal 13/10/2011 al 24/12/2011
Segnalato da
13/10/2011
Hyung Koo Kang
Singapore Art Museum, Singapore
The Burning Gaze. Featuring over 80 emotionally-charged works including paintings, sculptures and caricatures from artist and private collections. The Korean artist is highly regarded for his intense and hyperrealist self-portraits, as well as paintings of well-known personalities such as Vincent van Gogh, Andy Warhol, and Audrey Hepburn, among others. This survey focusses on Kang's portrait paintings of the last 10 years.
The Singapore Art Museum (SAM) is proud to present Hyung Koo
Kang: The Burning Gaze, the first major solo exhibition by Korean portrait artist Hyung
Koo Kang. This extensive survey maps the artist’s vast repertoire of works over the last
10 years with more than 80 of his popular personality portraits and haunting self-portraits
as well as spontaneous caricature and sculptures, available for public viewing for the
first time. The exhibition will also showcase two new works, detailing Kang’s
interpretation of the Christ.
Though Kang came to painting comparatively late in life, he has since become highly
regarded for his intense, hyperrealistic self-portraits and renderings of subjects which
include celebrities, artists, political figures and anonymous individuals. Through his
dramatic large-scale portraits, saturated colours and intense gazes of his subjects,
Kang’s works overwhelm and evoke emotional responses in the viewer. His brilliantly
executed hyperrealistic technique sweeps viewers into a wave of emotion, leaving them
with a true connection to and empathy for the painted subject. The intention behind his
oeuvre is a fundamental one – the communication of human emotions. At the heart of all
his works lies not what is presented on the surface, but the emotions conveyed and the
reactions engendered by the subjects. His works are never a form of documentary but
an art of fiction, imagination and emotional dialogue.
Kang paints from self-constructed images of his subjects, including painstaking research
and study, instead of a pre-existing photograph or picture. While none of these are direct
representations of the subjects chosen, his works encourage introspection on our
preconceived notions of these individuals and their identities. Revealing his subjects in
an honest and sometimes brutal manner, every portrait attempts to shine light on the
inner identity of his subjects and in the case of his portraits of world-famous celebrities,
aims to bridge the gap with the media portrayal of these stars. Some of his famed pieces
include interpretations of iconic personalities such as Andy Warhol, Audrey Hepburn,
Marilyn Monroe, Princess Diana and Vincent Van Gogh, among others.
Straying away from traditional painting, Kang moves beyond the paintbrush and explores
the use of unconventional tools such as nails, drills, toothpicks and erasers to create the
extraordinary details in his portraits. From the burning gaze of the eyes to the intricacies
in every strand of the hair and each stroke of the wrinkle, his portraits are more stark and
realistic than a photograph could ever be.
Mr Tan Boon Hui, Director of SAM says, “With this exhibition, SAM turns the spotlight
onto the ‘other Asia’ beyond the cultural powerhouses of India and China that have led
the way in fanning global interest in contemporary Asian art. Hyung Koo Kang’s work
demonstrates how artists in Asia today have extended the traditional realm of painting
beyond the shackles of traditional to create a unique, contemporary visual language. We
hope that this exhibition will be an inspiration for local art students, as Singapore has
room for many more painters. Kang’s breath-taking skills and more importantly, his utter
devotion to painting as a calling and vocation are admirable qualities for any young artist
who aspires to make it in the art world today to emulate."
To provide further insight into the exhibition, an artist’s talk and curator’s tour has been
arranged for the public. (For more information, please refer to Annex B.) A private tour
with the artist and curator will also be arranged for local art students to better expand
their foundation in painting and inspire them to develop their own unique exploration of
the medium through Kang’s works.
Hyung Koo Kang: The Burning Gaze is part of the Korea Festival 2011.
CATALOGUE Hyung Koo Kang: The Burning Gaze documents and charts the
practice of the highly regarded artist that has spanned over two decades. An
interview with the artist reveals his motivations and intentions, while the essays in
the exhibition catalogue closely analyse the unconventional techniques and skill that
go into his paintings, resulting in his hyperrealistic portraits. Over 30 recent
paintings are featured, including new works that have never been published before,
along with caricature sketches and clay sculptures that the artist has used in his
process of mastering the art of portraiture.
Image: Hyung Koo Kang, Van Gogh in Red (detail), 2010, oil on canvas, 193.9 x 259 cm, private collection
For more information, please contact:
Kimberly Mah - Account Manager Fulford Public Relations DID: 6324 2504 Mobile: 9871 7187 Email: kmah@fulfordpr.com
Kim May - Assistant Director Marketing & Corporate Communications Singapore Art Museum DID: 6332 3869 Email: kim_may@nhb.gov.sg
Vivian Quek - Account Executive Fulford Public Relations DID: 6324 5297 Mobile: 9794 6121 Email: vquek@fulfordpr.com
Audrey Yeo-Rankine - Manager Marketing & Corporate Communications Singapore Art Museum DID: 6332 7991 Email: Rankine_Audrey_YEO@nhb.gov.sg
Singapore Art Museum
71 Bras Basah Road, Singapore 189555
Opening Hours
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Fridays 10am to 9pm
Admission Fees (Combined SAM and SAM at 8Q)
Adults: S$10 (free entry on Fridays from 6pm)
Students (with valid student card): S$5
Senior Citizens (Foreign): S$5
20% discount on admission fees for group of 20 pax or more
Admission is free for visitors aged 6 years