NEW YORK, NY – ATO: Beautiful Gift, an extraordinary exhibition showcasing works by six of South Korea’s acclaimed contemporary artists, is now open at Gallery AP SPACE in Manhattan’s Chelsea district. The exhibition runs until November 23, 2024, offering New York audiences a chance to engage with some of the significant works in contemporary Korean art.
Celebrating the Richness of Korean Contemporary Art
This exhibition offers a rare opportunity to experience some of South Korea’s celebrated contemporary artists. At this showcasing, you’ll see 32 distinctive woks from six talented artists. The exhibition owes its cohesive vision to Kim HeeSun, a noted South Korean actress and art enthusiast, who has taken on the dual roles of curator and content director. Something important to note is her prioritizing of the connections between these artists’ works.
But this isn’t the first debut for Beautiful Gift. In the fall of 2023, Beautiful Gift debuted in Seoul. The event was hosted by The Hyundai and drew in a crowd of over 400,000 visitors. Almost immediately it became a major event in the art scene. Now, crossing borders for the first time, the collection has landed in New York. Through a vibrant display of cultural heritage and modern works of art, the exhibit invites American audiences to connect with the soul of Korean art.
From Park Seo-Bo’s contemplative abstractions to Kim Kang Yong’s textured explorations of community and reality, each artist offers a unique look into both modern and traditional Korean art. Whether through Kang Hyung Koo’s iconic portraits or Lee Lee Nam’s boundary-pushing digital works, the variety of art and themes invites viewers into a complex conversation between past and present.
New York Welcomes Beautiful Gift
Since opening its doors on October 10, 2024, the Beautiful Gift exhibition has garnered significant interest from art enthusiasts and cultural explorers alike.
Gallery Director Jean Park spoke about the importance of hosting this exhibition in New York and the significance of Korean contemporary art: “This event is a celebration of Korea’s rich artistic tradition and its influence on the worldwide art scene. We encourage everyone to take part in this cultural exchange and witness the creativity that Korean artists bring to the international stage.”
Visitors are treated to a deeply immersive experience at this showcase. Here, visitors will find themselves stepping into a world where Korean identity and culture are expressed through contemporary art.
Another great aspect of the event to note is that a documentary crew will be attending.The documentary crew from Korean Public Television will follow Kim Hee Seon and the other artists to New York. The goal of the documentary is to capture their interactions with American cultural figures.
The Artists
Park Seo-Bo: Best known for his Ecriture series, Park Seo-Bo is widely seen as a leader or even pioneer of Korean contemporary art. His work integrates traditional Korean materials like Hanji (Korean paper) along with repetitive, meditative brush strokes.
In these pieces you’ll see a focus on the act of creation itself through repetitive gestures that express emotional landscapes. Park Seo-Bo’s work has already become foundational to the Dansaekhwa (monochrome painting) movement in Korea. His pieces in this exhibition, such as Ecriture No. 980223, showcase the minimalism and elegance of his aesthetic.
Lee U-fan: Lee U-fan has a more minimalist approach to art. Eastern and Western philosophical traditions are drawn together to flow harmoniously in his work. And it often involves simple, deliberate marks, such as in his From Point series. One aspect that has garnered global attention to his work is his philosophical depth and emphasis on the interconnectedness between the physical world and the observer.
Park Suk Won: Park Suk Won’s Jik series explores the relationship between nature and humanity through sculptural works. His use of traditional Korean materials, such as Hanji and Mosi (ramie cloth), combined with modern sculptural techniques, results in a harmonious fusion of abstraction and organic forms. In his work, you’ll see a clear emphasis on materiality and balance. Pieces like Jik + Ui – 2356 offer a beautiful blend of texture and form.
Kim Kang Yong: This artist is best known for his unique use of materials like sand and soil in his hyper-realistic paintings. With Kim Kang Yong’s work, the line between painting and sculpture is nearly blurred. His works invite viewers to engage with the tactile surfaces he creates. This is to challenge their perceptions of reality and illusion. His series Reality + Image displayed in this exhibition showcases the depth and complexity of his technique wonderfully.
Kang Hyung Koo: The hyper-realistic portraits of historical figures and icons created by Kang Hyung Koo are already internationally loved. His works of art capture physical likeness and the inner complexity of his subjects. You can see this in his oversized portraits, such as those of Marilyn Monroe and Vincent Van Gogh.
Lee Lee Nam: A successor to Nam June Paik, Lee Lee Nam’s work fuses together traditional Korean art forms with cutting-edge digital technology. His work reinterprets classical pieces through movement and light. He creates an interactive experience that challenges the boundaries between tradition and modernity. Lee Lee Nam combines digital media with historical art references. His work masterfully bridges the past and present. Notable works like Ruins Mona Lisa and Bagyeon Falls exemplify his unique style.
Proceeds and Philanthropy
In keeping with the spirit of artistic support, all proceeds from ticket purchases will be donated to programs that support artists. This exhibition intends on doing more than simply showcasing beautiful art, it also prioritizes nurturing art for the future.
For more information, visit Gallery AP SPACE’s website or contact info@galleryapspace.com.
Published By: Aize Perez
