! Press Release (for immediate use) Opening Reception: 3 December 2016 (Saturday) I 3 – 6pm
(*Artist present)
Exhibition Duration: 3 December 2016 - 21 January 2017 Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday I 11am – 6pm Venue: Art Experience Gallery
“Faraway, So Close” – Solo Exhibition by Hye Kyoung Kwon
Art Experience Gallery proudly presents the first solo exhibition of Korean artist Hye Kyoung Kwon, entitled “Faraway, So Close”. This exhibition features Hye Kyoung Kwon’s recent works in which most of the painted subjects are appearing in life size.
Hye’s inspirations came from the contemporary urbanscape, she resembles the hidden signs and objects in daily environment with her personal statuses and self-identity while living and travelling in different cities. The unattended objects neglected by people in everyday life are recreated on canvases and present an innocent beauty. Looking at her large paintings of construction waste container, power box and handcart filled with piles of unfolded carton boxes, they reflect the emotional connections between Hye and these daily objects, which appear almost as self-portraits of the artist at different stages. Through her paintings, Hye responds to the insignificant characteristics that came across in her daily life and questions the values in society.
The experience of living aboard in the West has turned Hye into a quiet observer, while she found comfort from everyday objects in the unfamiliar environment. Her painted objects reflect a sense of isolation and loneliness resonates with our contemporary society, but somehow they create a state of tranquility for the viewers to experience an intimate distance with the familiar objects surrounding us. These urban objects reappear in life size impacts the viewers’ visual sensation and create a different encounter. Such objects painted in life size speaks across space and cultures, the appearance of her works challenge the essence of painting as an art form, and come into existence almost as real objects. Hye applies varies techniques and materials intelligently to create fine texture and turns the ordinary into extraordinary. It gives such pleasure to observe these objects from an artistic view through the artist’s eyes.
Hye’s recent paintings include a personal series of interior objects from her old studio, and street objects that she discovered in South Korea and Hong Kong. Her new work shows the artist is moving forward to a new direction of practice with growing diversity in her expression.
Room 2009, Cable TV Tower, 9 Hoi Shing Rd., Tsuen Wan, N.T., Hong Kong | +852 2110 9928 art@artexperiencegallery.com
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About Hye Kyoung Kwon
Hye Kyoung Kwon (b. 1984, Ulsan, South Korea)
Hye Kyoung Kwon took great interest in painting at a young age, and graduated from Saar College of Fine Arts, Germany in 2015. Lived and studied abroad in Germany for eight years, she is currently participating an artist-in residence program at Kumho Art Studio (sponsored by Kumho Museum of Art) in South Korea. Hye’s works have been exhibited in various exhibitions in Germany, Korea and Hong Kong.
As a painter, the artist paints objects from contemporary cityscapes in life size, allowing subjects from our everyday city scenery reappear on large canvas. “Large canvases give a spatial presence to the subject and bring charisma of the original objects at present.” says Hye. Her many travel experiences in different foreign countries in the past, and a long time living in Germany has greatly influenced on her perception of the world, which she has built a sense of loneliness and desolation inside. These sensations allow the artist to pay attention to many hidden details and unattended objects in our daily environment, while Hye chooses to respond to these objects through her painting.
Hye participated in the third edition of “First Smash” Art Exhibition curated by Art Experience Foundation in summer 2016, it was her first time exhibiting her work in Hong Kong. Hye will be presenting her work at Art Central Hong Kong in March 2017 with Art Experience Gallery.
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Room 2009, Cable TV Tower, 9 Hoi Shing Rd., Tsuen Wan, N.T., Hong Kong | +852 2110 9928 art@artexperiencegallery.com