With the rise of the Korean art and culture scene, more and more international galleries are entering the local market. In addition to bringing international artistic content to Korea, they are also introducing the essence of Korean art to audiences around the world. Lehmann Maupin Gallery established its first space in Seoul as early as 2017, and later announced the expansion of a new space in the Yongsan-gu district, which will officially open in mid-next month, kicking off with a solo exhibition of new works by American artist Lari Pittman!
The new space of the LIMK Gallery in Seoul, designed by the architectural design company Society of Architecture (SoA), has been renovated in a two-story building located in Hannam-dong, with a total space of nearly 2600 square feet, and is adjacent to the modern credit card exhibition space and the Samsung Museum of Art in downtown Seoul. The new LIMK Gallery in Seoul has specially created an outdoor terrace on the 2nd floor, providing more space to display sculptures, offering the audience a more diverse viewing experience.
The opening exhibition is titled “Opaque, Translucent, and Luminous”. This solo exhibition will showcase 15 new works by the artist, reflecting the process from darkness to light as suggested by the exhibition title. The artworks hint at different landscapes: opaque pieces evoke indoor scenes, translucent pieces bring to mind the surface of stained glass windows. The luminous paintings, with their dazzling and positively charged hues, symbolize densely populated cityscapes; within the city, the artist finds the energy of hope and rebirth in their unique visual language.
Pittman is considered one of the most important artists of his generation. The artist has an iconic visual vocabulary, with common elements being densely layered painting techniques and symbols such as bells, eggs, animals, ropes, highlighting a reverence for decorative arts and craftsmanship. In his works, we can see his unique visual aesthetic and complex compositions perfectly coordinate colors, text, and symbols, balancing the relationship between chaos and order.
Due to the impact of the epidemic in the past two years, Pittman’s latest creation is infused with hope, positive energy, and enthusiasm, hoping to replace the current situation through artistic creation and embrace a brighter and better present and future. The opening of the Limwood Gallery Seoul space will be officially held on March 15, and the exhibition will run from the same day until May 7. Stay tuned for more exciting content to be released after the exhibition opens!
Learn more and image source: Lehmann Maupin Gallery
