The local VILLEPIN gallery recently exhibited a series of oil paintings and pastel works by Korean artist Kang Myung-ki, with nature as the main theme. This highly acclaimed Korean female artist in the international art world creates a tranquil natural realm through soft tones. In VILLEPIN’s Zen-like exhibition space, she leads viewers away from the hustle and bustle of life, allowing them to reconnect with the unity between humans and nature.
Jiang Mingji loves to harmonize the rich colors and amorphous lines in her work, creating a sense of swinging and ethereal freedom. On the tranquil canvas, she abandons representational painting and, relying on her unique aesthetic vision, celebrates nature through color, line, and form. This unique composition technique allows the work to exude a rich and abundant sense of beauty.
Studying art at the Seoul National University of Arts, Kang Myung-ki moved to France in 1972 and settled in a small village in the Provence region. At that time, she was learning French while creating artworks mainly focused on memories and nostalgia for Korea. Despite being in France, she still held her homeland close to her heart. Later, this poised and elegant artist quickly adapted and integrated into the artistic atmosphere of France. Starting in the 1980s, she moved to the banks of the Loire River, where she began painting cityscapes of Paris and the surrounding natural landscapes. Waking up to the stunning beauty of Paris every day, she experimented with blending light and urban scenery between figurative and abstract styles.
Jang Myung-ji’s delicate brushwork transforms the sharp contours of objects into a soft touch. Although her works still focus on the depiction of buildings and nature, her style of depiction has gradually shifted to abstract expression. Jang Myung-ji held her first solo exhibition at Galerie Harry Jancovici in Paris in 1977, and her unique creative style was impressive. In the late 1980s, her works gained wide recognition at various international exhibitions, and her paintings were exhibited at the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris, the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, and other places. Making a name for herself in the international art world, she became friends with renowned artists and writers such as Zhao Wuji, Piotr Kowalski, Gilles Aillaud, Alain Jouffroy, and Dominique de Villepin.
右：《Orangers fleuris》100cm×80cm 2020
Jang Myung-ji spent most of her life traveling between South Korea and France, drawing inspiration from the beautiful scenery of both places. She often travels alone with a few brushes and some canvases, creating large paintings upon her return to capture the enchanting landscapes and memories along the way, turning these memories into moving works of art. As time passes, the landscapes of nature may change, but the scenes stored in her memories will remain preserved through her creations.
Ming Ji has been painting for over 50 years, maintaining a steady and gradual creative pace. With a solid foundation in painting, she captures the ever-changing structures of different objects in nature. She upholds a pastoral, tranquil style amidst the hustle and bustle of city life, using art to heal the restless souls of urban dwellers.
If you also want to personally experience the poetic paintings of this Korean female artist, be sure not to miss the solo exhibition of Kang Mi-kyung held by Villepin, where delicate and gentle colors and brushstrokes heal the soul.
《歸真》展覽
日期：即日起至 10 月（敬請預約）
時間：上午 11 時至下午 7 時
地點：中環荷李活道 53 – 55 號 Villepin
圖片來源：Villepin
