An Enchanting World of Art

An experiment of QI philosophy of Kang Gil-seong's artwork, an amalgamation, collision of civilization of East and West

Painter Kang Gil-seong started the experiment his new form of art based on the change of paradigm for looking at the world as the amalgamation and collision of Easter and Western culture after modernism, according to art critic Kim Baek-kyun. He is also one of the artists born in the East, furthermore, as the artist working at the creative root in traditional thought could not free himself from the existential problems of modernism concept, faced with the unstable foundation as 'tradition'in his early times in Oriental painting at Seoul National University. Naturally, the tradition as basis on identity also is not the fixed concept as existing in reality, but the concept with flexible structure changing in the criteria of value of the times.
Therefore, he realized that the expression of new criteria of value in our position could be the unique passage to express our identity,
rather than stick to the traditional value or following the transformation of Western criteria of value. Although he has been making the efforts to absorb the core of Western value by entering into the center of Western culture to rediscovery of two value systems, since he had been realized the traditional value as a part of my spirit and Western value have been in collision and exchange each other, not is totally different way away from the view of the world since 'I'had been grown up.
Kang studied the practical method which applying Oriental value system to the Western method in the form of art at Haute-Bretagne Rennes II University in France. In other words, his interest in the fundamental pursuing direction which our traditional value can be applied to the other Western society or the other culture over the world as the effective criteria to understand the world, or the possibility reaching to the general Western modern reason of the past time. Kang Gil-seong was formalized in order to the formal experiment by
using acrylic as the expression of Indian ink through his aesthetic criteria applying Oriental 'I'philosophy.
This art work's intention was not the grafting or transplantation, but reconstructing new paradigm over Eastern and Western concept in the style of art, in recent years, he induced in the meditation working with the material as "stone"passing by a few stages.
The first stage was the period of complete concrete Indian ink painting, the next stage was the period trying to abstract work by using Indian ink. Since the second stage, he has been interested in QI(energy), the series of 'QI-formulation'which the artist's interest was transformed to show the substance and principle embodied from the specific object. Although this period was not to show his own art world as the foundation of his ability for art. Indian ink painting in his art was signified as the mother language. The birth of his artwork was originated in the traditional idea as the mother language can lead the basic thought even though learning the second,
 
 
third language.
In the next stage was the period expressing the effect of Indian ink painting by using oil painting during his study abroad in France, trying to achieve Oriental value by borrowing the Western material, which grafting in the Western method through the formative composition.
In time as the representing painting was made through the great effort to reveal the effect of Indian ink by the elements such as human figure, tree. Above all,
the artwork in this period was created to show the solid expression as Kang Gil-seong's artwork, when expressed successfully the amalgamation in the solidity of Western and the sensitivity of Oriental sense harmonizing the bold picturesque composition and delicate representation of expression.
Painter Kang is a rare artist because he holds a doctorate degree from the Haute-Bretagne Rennes II University in France where he went to study after graduating the Seoul National University Fine Arts College majoring in Oriental painting in 1985. He lectures art at a number of universities in the country including Ewha Woman's University, Dongdeuk Women's University, Kookmin University, Seoul National University and Chugye Art College.
He held many solo exhibitions and participated in invitational art events and art fairs including Istanbul Art Fair in 1999 and MAC 2000 in Paris. His work are now on display at Shinsegye Department Store in Gangnam, southern Seoul, at the department store's Premium Lounge until Sept. 18. Kang is also scheduled to hold a solo exhibition at Shinsegye Department Store in Gwangju, his native town from Aug. 2-8. He can be reached at 011-9907-1310 and E-mail: art2000kang@hotmail.com. He lives in Incheon. nw

From the Stone CCLXII; 260x194cm; Coloring on Jangji; 2007

From the Stone CCLXXV; 80.5x65cm;Coloring on Jangji; 2007

From the Stone CXCV; 65x81cm; Acrylic on Canvas; 2002

From the Stone CCLX; 140x35.2cm (each); Pigment, Acrylic on Jangji; 2007