Collection
2008 Festival_1
Kwak Suk-Son
Description of the work
- Media Acrylic on canvas
- Location LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL MAIN TOWER 1F
Passing through the 1st-floor lobby of the LOTTE HOTEL SEOUL, there are some prominent works that catch the eye. They are the work of artist Kwak Suk-Son, placed on both sides of the “Jangsaengdo.” And among them, this painting, with butterflies fluttering against a violet background, catches the eye of those passing by with a color palette not often seen in paintings. The composition of this work, which looks as if a roll of flower-patterned silk has been unfurled, is probably an oriental element deliberately chosen by the artist, who has been trained in Korean polychrome painting. The artist’s expressive and illustrative powers are on full view, as the painting, with its clean finish and realistic depictions, is often mistaken as a well-made print. Thirteen realistically depicted butterflies flutter over a background consisting of layers of simply rendered flower motifs. With the butterflies gathering over a mass of flowers, the artist, who emphasizes the “collective beauty” of the aggregate, expresses longing, delight, and the wish for prosperity and progress through his butterflies that flit back and forth between the fantasy of the blossoms in the painting and the reality of the viewers standing outside the canvas.
About the author
Artist Kwak Suk-Son, who says that imagining how a butterfly would feel looking for a flower fills him with delight, paints butterflies in the hope of sharing that happy moment with others through his works. During his studies at Hongik University, he learned traditional coloring techniques from the giants of Korean polychrome painting, Cheon Kyeong-Ja, Park Saeng-Kwang, and Cho Bok-Soon, and is known for insisting on those techniques and using traditional materials even now. Perhaps this is why the artist's work, while centering on Western motifs, exudes an oriental aesthetic in its colors and expression. Kwak participated in more than 40 exhibitions in Korea and abroad, including the New York Art Fair and the Triennale India. He was also the recipient of the Grand Prize at the 18th Federation of Artistic & Cultural Organization Arts and Culture Awards (Fine Art Division) in 2004, hosted by the Federation of Artistic & Cultural Organization of Korea. He also served as the 19th chairman of the Korean Fine Arts Association, and serves as a judge for various art exhibitions including the Grand Art Exhibition of Korea, and continues to work on behalf of the Korean art community as well as nurturing young artists.
Kwak Suk-Son (b. 1949, Republic of Korea)
M.A., Fine Arts Studies, Donguk University Graduate School
B.A., Oriental Painting, Hongik University
B.A., Oriental Painting, Hongik University
