JANG JaeRok

For this exhibition, JANG Jaerok highlighted the center of material. He repeatedly said to me, “I want to read this era.” Confucius emphasized the attitude of 近取諸身, which means that one understands the universe through the things near one’s body. Observing the end of the desires of his close friends, or a concrete embodiment of their desires, JANG Jaerok would say, “It seems like their lives are not fun.” Beauty is clearly not maldistributed but ubiquitous. Realization or impression felt in a mind cannot be intruded by earthly prices or social positions because they transcend materials. Beauty that ubiquitously exists is spiritual beauty.

The canvases onto which JANG Jaerok painted in Indian-ink with the attitude of 近取諸身 connote death, imbalance, sacrifice, and the impossibility of harmony,which are overshadowed in the operation of the Western-centered world and its brilliance. The only way to overcome these gloomy landscapes is to think about the deep meaning of 平和. The word 平和 itself shows its own warm and humble meaning in that people weigh(平) rice(禾) with a scale, divide it, and then eat(口) it. JANG Jaerok currently creates homogeneous paintings overall, and is planning a project to deepen his work. He will deal with people. What a complex meaning the word people has! A person is a social animal but feels lonely among others. The power of revolution is produced from people, but people again fall into the swamp of loneliness. The disquieting beauty of our material civilization and the loneliness of people are now the sun at noon, and we cannot catch the meaning of the situations spread in front of us due to the dazzling sun. However, at least, I hope that the eyes of JANG Jaerok are not swayed by the dazzling light. As I mentioned above, artists must be beings who grasp the crossing of two trends, yin and yang.

Modernistic Modification of 近取諸身- Blank Ink Painting of JANG Jaerok
Lee Jinmyung(Curator)

 

 

 

JANG JaeRok
Born in 1978, Seoul, Korea

EDUCATION
2009    Candidate for the Ph.D, Oriental Painting, College of Fine Arts,
              Hongik University
2006    M.F.A, Oriental Painting, College of Fine Arts, Hongik University
2004    B.F.A, Oriental Painting, College of Fine Arts, Dankook University

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITION
2012    Momento of Momentum, Artside Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2011    Blot Background, Artside Gallery, Beijing, China
2009    Another Landscape 20091107, Korea Art Center, Busan, Korea
              Another Landscape 20090527, Gallery Hyundai(Window Gallery),
              Seoul, Korea
              Another Landscape 20090327, Wellside Gallery, Seoul, Korea
              Wellside Gallery, Shanghai, China
2008    Another Landscape 20081030, UM Gallery, Seoul, Korea
              Another Landscape 20080807, SEO Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2007    Another Landscape 20070905, Insa art center, Seoul, Korea

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITION
2013    Machine, Dreaming of Life, Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art,
              Ansan, Korea
               Evolution of Korean Painting, HHI culture & arts center,
              Ulsan, Korea
2012    Big Black Smoke, Gallery Genscher, Hamburg, Germany
2011    The Spectrum of Contemporary Korean Art,
              Kaohsiung Museumof Fine Arts, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
              Wonderpia(Wonder+Heteropias), Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
2010    Korean Fantasy Painting, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea
              Wow~! Funny Pop, Gyeongnam Art Museum, Changwon, Korea
              In The Name of The Korea Painting, Pohang Museum of Steel art,
              Pohang, Korea
              In the history of illusion and desire, Cyan Museum of Art,
              Yeoungcheon, Korea
2011    Rediscovery of Korean Painting, Seongnam Apts Center,
              Seongnam, Korea