In his new body of work, the artist expresses an emotional and visual response to recent and naturally occurring events: Australia’s bushfires and the pandemic. In each landscape, Australia’s vast and expansive skies are a vehicle for expression, gently absorbing, reflecting and interpreting the intensities and energies in flux below. In this way, the sky acts as a metaphor for human emotion and mood, conveying a deeply personal and intimate response from the artist.
These new paintings respond to the current moment in time, capturing the beauty of the Australian landscape, while simultaneously “exploring fear experienced from events out of our control”, the artist explains. Here the landscape’s language is distinct, communicating drama in billowing clouds and ripples of light. Dark treetops and faraway horizons invite contemplation of the land as a source of strength and calm as well as a template of emotional intensity. Within each landscape, a strong feeling of presence accompanies the sense of tension that underlies the unknown.
Born in Seoul, Korea in 1971. Migrated to Australia in 1990.
Diploma of Fine Arts, National Art School (1993)
Sydney College of the Arts, Sydney University, BVA (Hon) & MVA (1994~1999). A director of Croydon Art Studio
SOLO EXHBITIONS
2020 Lunar Year Lantern festival, 31 Jan to 9 Feb 2020
40 by 40 Project, 7 Mar to 25 March, Wagner Contemporary in Sydney
Muswellbrook Art Prize Finalists exhibition, Muswellbrook Regional Art Centre
John Leslie Art Prize Finalists exhibition, 18 July – 25 October
2020, Gippsland Art Gallery, Vic 2020 New Work, Linton & Kay Galleries, Perth
2020 Natural Impact, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
2019 Chaotic Order, Manyung gallery, Malvern Vic
2018 ‘The immensity of Sky’, Mitchell Fine Art, Brisbane, QLD
2018 High Land, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
2017 ‘Natural World’, Linton & Kay Galleries, Subiaco Perth WA
2016 ‘Storm in Paradise’, Wagner Contemporary, Sydney
2015 ‘Sky Memoir II’, Gallery One, Gold Coast, QLD
2015 ‘Sky Memoir’, Linton & Kay galleries, Perth, WA
2015 Min-Woo Bang, Mitchell Fine Art (Sofitel Hotel), Brisbane, QLD
2014 Beyond the Landscape, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney
2014 Beyond the Landscape, Melbourne Art Fair, Royal Exhibition Building, Melbourne
2013 Homage to Landscape, Wagner Art Gallery, Sydney
2013 “Homage to Landscape”, Sydney Contemporary 13 Art Fair, Sydney
2013 Feeling for the Landscape, Gallery One, Gold Coast QLD
2013 Feeling for the Landscape, Linton & Kay Galleries, WA
2012 “Revisit”, Wagner art gallery, Sydney
2012 Mystic Landscape, Muk Muk Fine Art, Darwin
2012 Mystic Landscape, Muk Muk Fine Art, Alice Springs, NT
2010 ‘Mystic Landscapes II’, L K contemporary gallery, Perth WA
2009 ‘Mystic Landscapes’ Wagner art gallery, Sydney
2008 ‘The Whisper of Trees’ rex-livingston art dealer, Sydney
2007 ‘New beginnings’ rex-livingston art dealer, Sydney
2006 ‘Landscape and Myth’ rex-livingston art dealer, Sydney
2006 ‘Landscapes’ Jackman gallery, Melbourne
2005 ‘Journey’ rex-livingston art dealer, Sydney
2005 ‘Emerald City II’ Washhouse Gallery, Sydney
2004 ‘Emerald City’, T AP Gallery, Sydney
2001 ‘New Paintings’, Campsie central library, Sydney
2000 ‘New Paintings’ James Harvey Gallery, Sydney
1999 ‘Self-Portrait in the Age of Appropriation’, Gallery 4A, Sydney
1998 ‘Self-Portraits II’, James Harvey Gallery, Sydney
1997 ‘Self-Portraits’, James Harvey Gallery, Sydney
Awards
2013 Finalist, The King’s School Art Prize, The King’s School, Sydney
2012 Finalist, Gold Coast Art Prize, Gold Coast City Art Gallery, QLD
2012 Finalist, Tattersall’s Club Landscape Art Prize, Brisbane Qld
2012 Finalist, NSW Parliament plein air painting prize, NSW Parliament House 2012 Finalist, Albany Art Prize, Albany Town Hall, WA
2011 Finalist, Mosman Art Prize, Mosman Art Gallery
2010 Finalist, The Stan and Maureen Duke Gold Coast Art Prize, Gold Coast City Art Gallery,QLD 2010 Finalist, Wynne prize, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney
2010 Finalist, The City of Albany Art Prize, Albany, Western Australia
2008 Finalist, The Paddington Art Prize
2008 Finalist, The City of Albany Art Prize, Albany, Western Australia
2002 Campion Art Awards (Carnival Christi), 1st prize
1997 Chroma Australia Art Prize
1997 William Fletcher Trust Grants
1995 Dobell foundation scholarship
1995 The Robert Le Gay Breton drawing prize (The Art Gallery of NSW)
1992 Waverley art prize (people’s choice award)
1992 T AFE painting award