2012_Hoon Kwak
July 1890, Vincent van Gogh
2012.10.12 - 2012.11.8
Information
Hoon Kwak : July 1870, Vincent van Gogh
Friday, Oct. 12 - Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012
Opening Reception : Friday, Oct. 12, 5:00pm
Seeing Hoon Kwak’s painting recalling
Vincent van Gogh in July 1890
By Lim Du-bin
Professor of Dankook University Graduate School of Culture, Arts, and Design
Painter Hoon Kwak has devoted himself to creating new paintings for the past few years. I called at his studio in Icheon to see the paintings he brought from the United States. Kwak explained he painted the 30 large-scale paintings, recalling the Post-Impressionist painting master Vincent van Gogh. He became interested in van Gogh after reading new books on the artist. He said Vincent van Gogh is a man like philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. When I heard what he said I felt how he was inspired by van Gogh’s life and art.
Nietzsche who asserted new values, declared “God is dead! I am the first perfect nihilist of Europe,” is a figure like a philosophical martyr. Vincent van Gogh is also like an artistic martyr who devoted himself to creative work.
I carefully examined Kwak’s paintings one by one. I discovered the faces enlarged to fill the whole canvas like an id picture in each painting. But, the faces were formed with only outlines and background without distinctive features. How can he depict van Gogh’s face? At the moment the face is portrayed, it could not be van Gogh’s. I looked at the faces for a long while. Kwak applied numerous lines of paint, overlapping to form rough, thick layers of paint. Like an uneven ground the scene with the possibility of numerous images gazed at me, concealing the mysterious breath of the life behind.
As jewels emit light, fragments in various hues serenely reveal themselves between brownish tones like pieces of relics at a historic site. When I gaze at them, all elements of the scene radiate light in tension and turn into a mirror. How can one really know the life Vincent van Gogh lived? And, how can one understand his spirit properly? Although novelist, biographers, critics, art historians, and painters have painted his face, nobody has no portrayed it as a whole! During his lifetime no friends, parents, or even his younger brother Theo saw him properly. The solitary genius became a legend, remaining misunderstood.
I find van Gogh’s tears in Kwak’s flowing paint strokes. I feel his passion for creation and love for all living creatures in his innumerable overlaps of paint, exuding light in despair. Despair and wreckage may be the impetus to disclose existence.
A mirror-like painting reflecting the inner world; these portraits of Vincent van Gogh are mirrors reflecting all painters and philosophers who try to live seriously, and above all are mirrors of Kwak himself. Kwak illustrates his self-portraits through his paintings of Vincent van Gogh.
Profile
1941 Born in Daegu, Korea
1982 M.F.A. California State University, Long Beach
1980 M.A. California State University, Los Angeles
1963 B.A. College of Fine Art, Seoul National University
Solo Exhibitions
2012
Gallery YEH, Seoul, Korea
Daegu Art Center, Daegu, Korea
Gallery Shilla, Daegu, Korea
2011
Daegu Health College art center, Daegu, Korea
SUSEONG ARTPIA, Daegu, Korea
2010
Gallery Shilla, Daegu, Korea
2009
C.J. Gallery, San Diego, CA, USA
2007
Gallery YEH, Seoul, Korea
Korea Art Center, Pusan, Korea
Gallery Shilla, Daegu, Korea
2006
Daegu Health College art center, Daegu, Korea
Pyo Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2005
National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
2004
Pyo Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2003
Andrew Shire Gallery L.A, CA, USA
Hyundai Art Center Gallery, Ulsan, Korea
Gallery M, Daegu, Korea
2000
Rong Bao Zhai Gallery, Beijing, China
Kumho Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Jo-Hyun Gallery, Pusan, Korea
1999
Carinthia Gallery, Austria
1998
Kumho Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Charles Cowles Gallery, New York, NY, USA
1997
Carinthia Gallery, Carinthia, Austria
63Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Cigong Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1996
Johyun Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Masan MBC Gallery, Masan, Gyeongsangnam-do, Korea
Pyo Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL, USA
Daegu Art Center, Daegu, Korea
1995
Sigma Gallery, New York, NY, USA
Palos Verdes Art Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Inkong Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Sung Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1994
1993The Works Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Andrew Shire Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1993
Sun Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Art Sonje Museum, Gyeongju, Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea
1992
Pusan Gallery, Pusan, Korea
MacQuarie Gallery, Sydney, Australia
Sala Pares Gallery, Barcelona, Spain
The Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
1991
Pacific Asian Museum, Pasadena, CA, USA
Sun Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1990
MacQuarie Gallery, Sydney, Australia
The Works Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Sun Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1989
Karl Bornstein Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
The Works Gallery, Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Levinson Kane Gallery, Boston, MA, USA
1988
Iannetti Lanzone Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA
Sun Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1987
Inkong Gallery, Daegu, Korea
Duson and Pyung Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1986
Ymok Gallery, Daegu, Korea
Korean Cultural Service Center Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Harcourts Contemporary, San Francisco, CA, USA
1985
Karl Bornstein Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
Duson Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1984
Q Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
1983
Art Space Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Dongsanbang Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1982
L.A. Artcore Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Dongsanbang Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Traction Gallery, L.A. CA, USA
1981
L.A. Artcore Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1980
L.A. Artcore Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1970
The Press Center of Korea, Seoul, Korea
Group Exhibitions (Selected)
2011
Gallery YEH, Seoul, Korea
Gallery Shilla, Daegu, Korea
Daegu Art Center, Daegu, Korea
2010
Gallery YEH, Seoul, Korea
Gallery Shilla, Daegu, Korea
2009
L.A County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA, USA
Gallery Parkyoung, Paju, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
2008
Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
2004
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea
2000
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea
Korea Cultural Center, New York, NY, USA
1998
Charles Cowles Gallery, New York, NY, USA
1997
Charles Cowles Gallery, New York, NY, USA
1996
Seoul Art Center, Seoul, Korea
Newport Harbor Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1995
Venice Biennale Korea Pavilion, Venice, Italy
1993
Pauline Hirsh Art Museum, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1992
Levinson Kane Gallery, Boston, MA, USA
Sandra Walter Gallery, Hong Kong
Watts Tower, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Mac Quarie Gallery, Sydney, Australia
Art Space Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
SUN Gallery, Seoul, Korea
1991
Levinson Kane Gallery, Boston, MA, USA
Hanwon Gallery, Seoul, Korea
The Annex Gallery, La Jlooa, CA, USA
The Annex Gallery, San Diego, CA, USA
The Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
Valerie Miller Gallery, Brunswick, ME, USA
Hobe Sound Gallery, Brunswick, ME, USA
1989
The Thumb Gallery, London, England
The Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
Cerritos College Fine Art Gallery, Cerritos, CA, USA
Vallerie Miller Gallery, Palm Desert, CA, USA
1988
Van Straaten Gallery, Chicago, IL, USA
SUN Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Vallerie Miller Gallery, Palm Desert, CA, USA
Kukje Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Karl Bormstein Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
The Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
1987
Karl Bormstein Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
Osaka Contemporary Art Center, Osaka, Japan
Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
The Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
1986
Karl Bornstein Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
Simard Halm Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
The Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
Karl Bornstein Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Harcourts Contemporary Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA
1985
Harcourts Contemporary Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA
The Works Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
18th Street Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
L.A. County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1984
California State University, Dominguez Hills, Carson, CA, USA
Wing Luck Memorial Museum of Art, Seattle, Washington
Karl Bornstein Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, USA
Harcourts Contemporary Gallery, San Francisco, CA, USA
Art Space Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Korean Cultural Service, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1983
Los Angeles Municipal Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Korean Cultural Service, Los Angeles, CA, USA
L.A. Artcore Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
L.A. County Museum, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Palos Verdes Art Center, Palos Verdes, CA, USA
1:16 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1982
Scope Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Gallery C, Long Beach, CA, USA
1:16 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Traction Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Oklahoma Art Center, Oklahoma, USA
New Mexico Junior College, Hobbs, New Mexico
Visual Art Gallery, Pensacola, FL, USA
1981
L.A. County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Stedman Art Gallery, Camden, NJ, USA
New California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
1:16 Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
L.A. County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Cheney kaulseu Museum, Spokane, Washington, USA
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, CA, USA
Minot State University, Minot, North Dakota, USA
L.E.A.A. Juried All Media National Art Exhibition, Hobbs, New Mexico
Junior Art Center Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Weber State University, Ogden, Utah, USA
Brand Library Art Galleries, Glendale, CA, USA
Long Beach Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
Japan Cultural Center United States, Los Angeles, CA, USA
L.A. Artcore Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Dongsanbang Gallery, Seoul, Korea
Nagasaki Prefectural Art Museum, Tianjin, Fukuoka, Japan
American Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, CA, USA
Tucson Museum of Art, Tucson, AZ, USA
Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Ahnot Museum of Art, New York, NY, USA
Japan Cultural Center United States, Los Angeles, CA, USA
1980
Brea Gallery, Civic Cultural Center, Brea, CA, USA
Long Beach Gallery, Long Beach, CA, USA
Japanese American Community Cultural Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Four Art Plaza, Palm Beach, FL, USA
Wesleyan UniVersity, Macon, Georgia, USA
1968
The Press Center of Korea, Seoul, Korea
PRIZE (SELECTED)
1984
California State University, Long Beach Alumni Association, Long Beach, California
Pensacola Water Media National Exhibition, Pensacola, Florida
1982
National Watercolor Society 61st Annual Art Exhibition
National Juried Art Exhibition, Taos, New Mexico
L.E.A.A. Juried All Media National, Hobbs, New Mexico
10th National Prints & Drawing Exhibition, Minot State College, Minot, North Dakota
Long Beach Art Association Juried Exhibition, Visual Arts, Long Beach Gallery, Long Beach, California
Commissions & Collections
Philadelphia Art Museum, PA, USA
National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
Ilmin Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Orange County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Arkansas Museum of Art, AR, USA
Security Pacific National Bank, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Amoco Production Co. (Standard Oil), Denver, CO, USA
Minot State College, Minot, Denver, CO, USA
Pensacola State Junior College, Pensacola, FL, USA
National Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, Korea
First L.A. Bank. Los Angeles, CA, USA
Columbia Pictures Co., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Santen Seyak Co., Tokyo, Japan
Wilshire House, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Bel Air Hotel, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg & Tunney, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Sheraton Harbor Island Wes, San Diego, CA, USA
American Food & Beverage Co., Los Angeles, CA, USA
American Bar & Grill, Santa Monica, CA, USA
Executive Life Insurance Co., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Walker Hill Art Center, Seoul, Korea
Conrad Hilton Hotel, Chicago, IL, USA
Compri Hotel, Aurora, CO, USA
Southbrook Entertainment, Beverly Hills, CA, USA
Held Properties, Beverly Hills, CA, USA
Trident Ltd., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Larsen, Colby & Koralek Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Ana Hotel, Tokyo, Japan
Bryan, Cave, McFetters & McRoberts, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Robertson Designs, Arcadia, CA, USA
Four Season Hotel, Newport Beach, CA, USA
Jewish Federation Council, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Bear Strearn & Co., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Tyson’s Corner of Sheraton Hotel, VA, USA
Hyatt Melbourne, Australia
M.B.C. T.V. Corp., Seoul, Korea
Spierer, Woodward, Denis & Furstman, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Yukong Line Limited, Seoul, Korea
Grand Hyatt Regency, Washington D.C., USA
Los Angeles International Airport Hilton, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Omni Hotel, Jackson, FL, USA
Touche, Ross & Co., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Jing An Hilton, Shanghai, China
Philippe Guimiot Art Gallery, Bruxelles, Belgium
O’Conner-Cavanaugh Art Gallery, Bruxelles, Belgium
Hilton Hotel, Seoul, Korea
Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills, CA, USA
Pacific Bell, San Fransisco, CA, USA
International Kunstverlag, Hamburg
Directors Guild of America, CA, USA
Yesteryear Inc., Los Angeles, CA, USA
Corner Peripherals, San Jose, CA, USA
Taipei Hilton, Taipei, Taiwan
Nikko Hotel, Sydney, Australia
Kinsella, Boesch, Fujikawa & Towle, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Jules & Co., Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Taipei Hyatt, Taipei, Taiwan
Singapore Hyatt, Singapore
Wener Chappell Music, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Kumho Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Hoam Art Museum, Seoul, Korea
Art Sonje Museum, Gyeongju, Gyongsangbuk-do, Korea
The Bank of Korea, Daegu, Korea
Gallery 63, Seoul, Korea
Daegu City, Daegu, Korea
Ilsin Group, Seoul, Korea
Sungkok Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Debec Cultural Foundation, Daegu, Korea
ArtSonje Center, Seoul, Korea
The South Wales Gallery, Sydney, Australia
Orange County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Arkansas Museum of Art, AR, USA
Ilmin Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
Philadelphia Art Museum, PA, USA
Minot State College, Minot, ND, USA
Pensacola State Junior College, Pensacola, FL, USA
National Art Museum of China, Beijing, China
Publications
SEMOONDANG, Artist Hoon Kwak, 2011
Howard N. Fox “of Two Mind” Hoon Kwak, 1998
Darin Powell, “Sound shapes Birmingham Post-Herald, April 22, 1996
Jonathan Goodman, “Review”, ART News, Dec. 1995
Peter Frank, “Review”, Asian Art news, Hong Kong, Sept. 1995
Kwangsoo Kim, “Venice Biennale & Korean Art”, Morning Calm, June 1995
Letitia Baldridge, Daily Breeze, Mar. 8, 1995
Josin Ianco Starrels & Susan C. Larsen, Hoon Kwak, Typecraft Publications, 1993
Ian Findlay-Brown, “A Korean Bridge”, Asian Art news, Hong Kong, May/June, 1992
Jo Saurin, “Review”, The Sydney Morning Herald, Dec. 8, 1990
Dinah Berland, “Review”, Press-Telegram, Oct. 24, 1989
Kristine Mckenna, “Review”, L.A Times, Jan. 13, 1989
Victoria Lou, “Review”, Artist, Taiwan Vol. 143, Apr. 1987
Kristine Mckenna, “Review”, L.A Times, Oct. 1985
Amaury Saint-Gilles, “Review”, Mainichi Daily News, Mar. 1984
Elizabeth Richardson, “Review”, Images & Issues, Jan. 1984
Isabel Anderson, “Review”, Art Week, Aug. 13, 1983
Robert Pincus, “Review”, L.A Times, Aug. 12, 1983
The Great I.&I. Cover Up, Images & Issues, July 1983
Isabel Anderson, “Review”, Art Week, Oct. 9, 1982
Susan Muchnic, “Review”, L.A Times, Oct. 1, 1982