Fou Gallery presents the exhibition “Briefly Gorgeous” during Seoul Art Week in September. The exhibition will take place from September 1st to 9th at Songwon Art Center in Samcheong-dong. Curated by art consultant Joan Tucker and sponsored by Hanwha Life, the exhibition will showcase the works of over 30 art giants and emerging artists.
“Briefly Gorgeous” is presented by the private purchasing department of PhillipsX, conveying to viewers the ephemeral nature of time and the impermanence of all things, while seeking and embracing the beauty in the present moment. It encourages everyone to move forward with the times, transcend public opinion, stay true to their original intentions, and gain insight into true beauty. This exhibition includes works by several international artists, including Susan Chen, Hilde Lynn Helphenstein, Yoora Lee, Se Oh, Kaifan Wang, Ho Jae Kim, Hernan Bas, Alexander Calder, David Hockney, and Scott Kahn.
Scott Kahn’s “Rest by the Creek,” created in 1985, is one of the highlights of the exhibition. Currently residing in Brooklyn, New York, Kahn is known for his atmospheric landscape paintings that evoke memories, experiences, and emotions. He pays meticulous attention to the details of his painting subjects. His works demonstrate a meticulous and systematic approach to handling light, shadow, and depth.
Further reading:
- Sotheby’s 2023 Autumn Auction Highlights! Contemporary collectors Liu Yiqian and Wang Wei bring nearly 40 world-class works
- WOAW Gallery’s new gallery space in Wan Chai opens with a dual exhibition featuring artists Taedong Lee and Kitty Ng!
- 10th Prada Mode: Diversity and Parallelism as Themes, Landing in Seoul’s KOTE Art Space in September
The blue-chip art masters include works by David Hockney and Alexander Calder. The former incorporates the newly invented color photocopying technique into his creations. His handmade print “Red, Blue and Green Flowers” portrays still life with bright and joyful colors. The latter’s dynamic sculpture works are highly sought after for their excellent craftsmanship. The exhibited “Yellow Wrinkle” is a small-scale “dynamic sculpture” that can be placed on a flat surface. It uses the classic “Calder” red, yellow, and black color scheme frequently used by the artist, which is full of interest.
The works of the rising stars in the art world include oil paintings by Korean artist Lee Yuna, who uses a swaying brushstroke to imitate the blurry screens of TV glitches or VHS tape glitches. Her work “Summer Breeze” is delicately and softly colored. Another Korean-American artist based in Los Angeles, Wu Shi, creates ceramic sculptures that echo abstract forms found in nature. In his work “Angel,” he incorporates Korean aesthetics, presenting fluidity, memory, and fragility. He also explores his own complex sense of identity as an adopted child and the loneliness of growing up as a minority in the American South.
In addition, Fuyi commissioned Xiaode Lin Hefenstein to create a sculpture specifically for this Seoul exhibition, titled “Untitled (Narcissus)”. Hefenstein is the owner of the well-known social media meme account @jerrygogosian in the art world, and “Untitled (Narcissus)” is inspired by the sculpture “Narcissus” by French sculptor Eugene Ernest Hiolle in the Louvre. The head of the figure gradually sinks into a highly polished base, reminiscent of a three-dimensional figure floating on a mobile phone screen and also the reflection of Narcissus in the water. This work depicts the obsession and self-obsession of humans with beauty, while also showcasing the intensification of this phenomenon in the rapid development of social media.
In addition to “Briefly Gorgeous,” this Seoul exhibition will also showcase highlights from the Hong Kong Autumn Auction. Phillips will hold the “20th Century and Contemporary Art” Hong Kong Autumn Auction in early October, and the evening auction will feature Nicolas Party’s work “Still Life with Olives” in Seoul. At the end of November, Phillips will hold “The Hong Kong Watch Auction: XVII,” and this season’s auction will present a collection of five rare F.P. Journe watches, coming from the original owner and making their debut on the auction floor. This set of watches, like works of art, is definitely a focal point.
