Kang Jun Seok Brings the Dreamlike Scenery of Jeju Island to Gallery Ascend
“My Make in HK” is the artist’s first international solo exhibition and is on view until April 16.
Kang Jun Seok is a Korean artist best known for creating dreamlike characters that exist between nature and a world of fantasy. In 2014, the artist moved to the tranquil province of Jeju Island, where he states the landscape matched that of his imaginary ideals. “My work began from my inner desire to be relaxed,” Kand said. “Then, I pursued a little bird staying in a well, a small cottage or palace, which is desolate, a barn, and a church that I think might be unknown except for me. I used to take comfort from drawing such images,” he added.
The artist is presenting a suite of these enchanting characters at Hong Kong’s Gallery Ascend. As Kang’s first international solo exhibition, he transports the realm of fantasy he experienced on the island to the gallery by installing a film-like presentation of greenery that complements the large-scale paintings and totemic heads on display.
A master in soft tones and gentle brush strokes, Kang break’s free from rigid artistic constrictions by applying elements from nature and the landscapes of Jeju Island into his work. Each character carries a personal object that serves as a philosophic metaphor of childhood and seeks to liberate the audience from the burdens of daily life.
Located inside The Arca hotel in Wong Chuk Hang, “My Mate in HK” is in its final days and will be on view at Gallery Ascend until April 16.
In related news, Moya Garrison-Msingwana released an intricate sculpture called SNH_003.
Gallery Ascend
8B, The Arca,
43 Heung Yip Rd,
Wong Chuk Hang,
Hong Kong
