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Alone Not Lonely : Jang Koal Solo Exhibition

Curator: Yonni Park, Jeeeun Hong

9.17 - 10.30, 2022

Bangkok

Press

Tang Contemporary Art will be holding Jang Koal (born 1989) solo exhibition, “Alone Not Lonely” from September 17 to October 30. This exhibit is like a letter of consolation for modern people who hold in their hearts the loneliness and depression sent with living creatures such as cats and people as well as backgrounds depicted with the artist’s imagination. Globally - recognized for her distinctive painting style and unique images, it is Jang Koal's first solo exhibition in Bangkok.

 

At “Alone Not Lonely,” the artist presents happy memories and shares the moment to give us strength to overcome and make a step forward although it may be difficult to heal our inner loneliness and wounded heart.

 

“Precisely the least thing, the gentlest, lightest, the rustling of a lizard, a breath, a moment, a twinkling of the eye - little makes up the quality of the best happiness. ”

 

The female-form of people that appear in her works represent the modern people living with the distress of reality, loneliness, and broken heart. She refuses to create beautiful images of modern people carrying the burden of reality. Instead, each character appears to be serene and candid, making it more gorgeous.

 

The background of her works expressed with the way the artist views and preserves the world intertwined with her imagination shows her warm-heart of looking at the world and consolation for modern people. A cat, turtle, plant and living thing that the artist created comes near and stays with the illustrated characters in her works, trying to share feelings and arousing pleasant tension in the works. A fleeting moment to calm one’s discontent such as saying hello to a cat met on the way, the waving wild grass, time spent with friends or family members and spending time alone to communicate with the inner self appears in the lyrical and dreamlike paintings which have psychological and artistic attraction. Pieces of memories in the newly recreated works evoke the audiences’ emotion at that moment, inviting them to share the moment of healing.

 

At this exhibition, the series that focuses on the shape of a person especially concentrates on color. In other words, the inner side of modern people is dyed in the color of honest feelings. Color is a significant element that completes her works. Accordingly, Jang Koal covers the wooden panel top with hanji (traditional Korean paper), glues them and works with acrylic paints. Then, the paint would settle on paper to present clear, yet peculiar colors.

 

Jang Koal has been active in exhibiting her works in Nanzuka Underground Gallery (Tokyo, Japan), Powerlong Museum (Shanghai, China) and EverydayMoonday Gallery (Seoul, Korea), and participated in artist residence programs such as Cité Internationale des Arts (Paris, France) and Residency Colección Solo House (Somo, Spain).

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Works
우리집 (Our House)

우리집 (Our House)

Acrylic on Hanji 162.2 x 130.3 cm 2022

Topsy-Turvy

Topsy-Turvy

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

Under Control

Under Control

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

Unveiled

Unveiled

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

Time Goes Slow

Time Goes Slow

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

Solitary Animals

Solitary Animals

Acrylic on Hanji 130.3 x 97cm 2022

Sleepover

Sleepover

Acrylic on Hanji 162.2 x 130.3 cm 2022

Picnic

Picnic

Acrylic on Hanji 112.1 x 145.5 cm 2022

There for You

There for You

Acrylic on Hanji 91 x 116.8 cm 2022

Musing IV

Musing IV

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

Musing I

Musing I

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

Musing II

Musing II

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

Musing III

Musing III

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

High Noon in July

High Noon in July

Acrylic on Hanji 91 x 116.8 cm 2022

Fig Trees

Fig Trees

Acrylic on Hanji 145.5 x 112.1 cm 2022

Embrace

Embrace

Acrylic on Hanji 116.8 x 91 cm 2022

Blowing Smoke

Blowing Smoke

Acrylic on Hanji 91 x 116.8 cm 2022

Close Encounters Of The Furred Kind

Close Encounters Of The Furred Kind

Acrylic on Hanji 150 x 50 cm 2022

Artist
Artist
Artist Portrait.jpg

Jang Koal

b. 1989, Ulsan, South Korea

Jang Koal is a self-taught artist who has possessed a deep love for drawing from a young age. Growing up in the care of her grandparents, she was often brought along when visiting Buddhist temples. Here she became acquainted with the striking traditional art that covers the temples' exterior and interior, which sparked a fascination for their colorful depictions and enigmatic atmosphere. These early impressions continue to reverberate in her present-day artistic practice; however, the now Seoul-based artist has pushed on to explore more contemporary themes and methods of working on hanji, a traditional Korean paper. Utilizing modern materials and techniques, she works with contrasting vivid, solid color sections against intricate patterns and constructs elegant imagery in which female figures are immersed in an imaginary parallel world filled with cats, flowers, and nature. Sourcing positive memories from her personal life, Jang addresses seemingly mundane and peaceful scenes but simultaneously touches on subjects that she is only able to express without restrictions through painting. Mixing the surreal, often ambiguous, or mystical atmospheres with bright colors and harmonious lines and compositions, she is able to create a captivating tension in which her subjects seem to feel most comfortable.

Curator

Yonni Park, Jeeeun Hong

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