갤러리LVS ∙ 이유진

 

The solo exhibition Retronism by Kim Sung Kook will be on view at Gallery LVS in Sinsa-dong from September 2nd to 23rd. This exhibition reflects on Kim's 15-year artistic journey, blending past and present to explore the enduring theme of "relationships." It depicts a journey toward embracing innate emotions with a newfound sense of freedom and lightness. The title Retronism is inspired by the idea of a retrospective and also incorporates the concept of "repetition," symbolizing the rebirth that emerges through the repeated act of creation.
 
Kim Sung Kook body of work is a multifaceted complex built on countless appropriations. His art draws from a diverse array of sources, including mythology, legends, famous paintings, contemporary art, fashion, and celebrities. By placing these familiar elements in unexpected combinations, he offers viewers fresh connections and perspectives. Following The Storyteller (2021), which tells an endless narrative, and The Forest of Longinus (2023), which explores recovery and healing from destruction, Restronism (2024) completes the trilogy. This final piece embodies a journey toward a more natural state by embracing every past moment, prioritizing fulfillment and unity over emptiness. The solo exhibition Pasting the Past (2010), which marked the debut of the 28-year-old artist at Gallery LVS, introduced a worldview rooted in appropriation—blending and layering the past with the new. This latest work revisits that approach with an experimental twist, using the act of appropriation as a paradoxical way to seek the essence and move forward into the future. The consistent theme of "relationships" in all of Kim Sung-kook's works is both the most compelling aspect of his artistry and a subject he explores through a wide range of emotions. In his earlier pieces, driven by a deep curiosity, he examined the emotions between individuals. As he has matured into an established artist, he has expanded his focus to explore relationships on a broader scale, including those between humans, society, and nature, creating inventive narratives on his canvases. The vivid, lifelike figures in his paintings, reminiscent of Renaissance masterpieces, capture the essence of "relationships," which remains the most iconic element of his art.
 
Restronism presents the artist as a time traveler navigating between past works on the canvas and the contemporary world, revealing to viewers that past characters have reached a clearer future through surprising new developments. The performers, who bring joy, include three women and three wolves, each hinting at the trials they will face. The work also features a Reisläufer (Swiss mercenary) symbolizing strict adherence to discipline and orders. And it explores themes of female solidarity overcoming systems and examines the destinies of women who either resist or accept these challenges amidst human despair. In 2024, six years later, this work, reflecting on repetition, reaches a magnificent conclusion with Leviathan_Eternal. Women battling against systems come together as a powerful, cohesive force, much like a small nation, and pledge eternal bonds. The wallpaper on the back, reminiscent of the artist’s unfinished student days and once as plain as pencil sketches, evolves into intricate and beautiful William Morris patterns as they vow their everlasting connection. Leaving behind the joys of student life, the women have grown into responsible and independent members of society. Alongside them are dresses inspired by Janet Cooper’s Monkey Dress. The work expresses a deep affection and love for the countless fabrics, newspapers, corsages, and vinyls that are sewn together, discarded, and forgotten. The way all these varied experiences—none of which are discarded—come together to create a perfect party dress reflects the true meaning of happiness experienced by someone growing through deep, intense bonds.

In contrast to the theme of eternal bonds, After Stardust depicts the growth of an isolated outsider and reflects the passage of time since the creation of Stardust in 2021. The large-format piece Stardust, measuring 194 x 260 cm, creates a mesmerizing experience reminiscent of a midsummer night's dream, set against the backdrop of the Prince Albert pub, which the artist often visited during my studies in the UK. With its grand and imposing size, the piece showcases a dazzling array of decorations and blends drawing, illustration, animation, and Western painting styles to create a fantastical image that appears to emerge from different worlds. In After Stardust, after all the splendor has faded, only a small clown who observed it from the beginning remains, gazing at the solid ground formed upon the Milky Way. This work revisits Annunciation After 2 from 2010, inspired by Carpacho's Annunciation, and explores the meaning that lingers after historical events. It conveys the idea that even the space left behind by a passing existence possesses its own finite presence.
 
Just as silence lingers where Mary and the angel Gabriel once were, After Stardust leaves behind only the smallest of outsiders in the void left after the lively parade has vanished without a trace. After returning from the challenging experience of studying abroad, this work captures the magical moments that, in retrospect, feel like dreams or illusions amidst all the hardships. The work represents the transition from uncertain days of feeling as if standing on air to finally standing firmly on the ground, confidently moving toward the future. The place where the euphoria has faded is now so fertile that grass is beginning to grow everywhere.

In addition to the two main works defining Restronism, the artist has expanded the scope of appropriation with the Trees series. This series features simplified depictions of trees, stacked in an elevation format, offering a fresh perspective on the existing themes. The 2024 Trees series draws inspiration from the depiction of Eastern objects in Fra Angelico’s frescoes. To challenge cultural prejudices and stereotypes, it incorporates European wallpaper patterns into Eastern symbols representing Feng Shui. This approach extends the theme of appropriation into the existing complex forest patterns.
 
Five pieces by the collaborative group John Cook, which includes Kim Sung Kook and Kim Si-jong, will also be showcased. The John Cook series merges Kim Si-jong’s photography with Kim Sung Kook oil paintings to offer a distinctive perspective on contemporary art. Behind the Egyptian god of death Anubis, dressed in a Gucci jacket, is a green tape commonly used in mass-produced office supplies. This juxtaposition illustrates how fashion, like the cycle of life and death, persists and continues to evolve. The green tape, a mass-produced item that will deteriorate over time, will lose its form within a few decades, unlike Anubis, who is depicted in oil and will endure. This contrast within the canvas underscores the relationship between the finite and the infinite, with the eternal Anubis coexisting alongside the ephemeral tape.
 
Kim Sung Kook graduated with top honors from Seoul National University's Department of Western Painting. He then completed his graduate studies there before earning a master's degree in Fine Arts from the Royal College of Art in the UK. In 2018, Kim Sung Kook sold his artwork for the highest price among master's graduates across the UK, earning a mention in the Daily Telegraph article titled "Something else for South Korea to cheer about." He was also named one of the top 10 master's graduates to watch in the UK by Elephant magazine (issue 35), standing out as the only artist recognized in the oil painting genre. Kim Sung Kook work is included in Paul Smith’s personal collection and has been exhibited in stores in Paris, Berlin, and London. He made his debut with his first solo exhibition, Pasting the Past, at Gallery LVS in 2010, and this will be his fifth solo show. Additionally, he has participated in three group exhibitions. For Retronism, he will present a total of 16 oil paintings and 5 works from the John Cook series.

Youjin Karen Lee , Gallery LVS