Aggregation08-SE024(Blue), 2008, Mixed media with Korean mulberry paper, 202x362cm, Courtesy of Gana Art Center
Gana Art Center presents Aggregations: Resonance, In-between, a solo exhibition by Chun Kwang Young, from December 4, 2024, to February 2, 2025. This marks Chun’s first solo exhibition in Korea in six years and showcases a wide array of works, including his renowned Aggregation series, large-scale installations, and pieces from his Healing Series. The exhibition provides an opportunity to trace the evolution of Chun’s artistic practice, which has been continuously developed since 1995.
Chun Kwang Young (b. 1944) earned his master’s degree from the Philadelphia University of the Arts in 1971 and has since gained international recognition. Notably, he was invited to the Unlimited section of Art Basel in 2003 and became the first Korean artist to hold solo exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum in 2018 and the Moscow Museum of Modern Art in 2022. This exhibition also revisits key pieces from his participation in major events, including Artist of the Year 2001 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) and Times Reimagined, a collateral exhibition of the 59th Venice Biennale.
The Aggregation series is Chun’s signature body of work. It involves wrapping triangular styrofoam shapes in hanji—traditional Korean paper-bearing texts from ancient books such as Confucian classics, legal codes, or novels—before meticulously binding them with twisted paper strings and attaching them to canvases. Inspired by his childhood memories of herbal medicine pouches in his uncle’s pharmacy, Chun combines this cultural motif with Korean jeong (empathy) to create tactile works that evoke deep emotional resonance.
ONT-016, 1986, Oil on canvas, 168x228cm, Courtesy of Gana Art Center
Beyond nostalgia, Chun explores broader themes through Aggregation. The hanji-wrapped fragments not only reflect cultural heritage but also serve as vessels for diverse knowledge, history, and ideologies. Each fragment interacts with others on the canvas, symbolizing the convergence and conflict of ideas across time and space. Through this, Chun’s works become microcosms of human history, reflecting ideological clashes and societal tensions while illustrating the possibility of harmony and new meanings emerging from juxtaposition.
The exhibition highlights the evolution of Aggregation over nearly three decades. Early works in the series incorporated vibrant colors, a technique rooted in Chun’s Light series from the 1980s. Inspired by the changing hues of nature in his hometown of Hongcheon, Chun experimented with layered pigments and strips of paper to create spatial depth on flat surfaces. This structural experimentation laid the foundation for the dimensionality seen in his later works. Recent pieces revisit the use of dynamic colors, blending his initial exploration of chromatic richness with the minimalist tones of earlier iterations.
Key works from Chun’s career are featured, including large-scale installations and video art. Aggregation001-MY057, his first three-dimensional piece, was initially showcased as part of Artist of the Year 2001 and later reimagined for the Venice Biennale. This monumental cylindrical installation embodies Chun’s sculptural approach, with its towering forms evoking both natural landscapes and architectural structures. Also included is Aggregation19-MA023, a towering piece that pairs with the video work Eternity of Existence. The juxtaposition creates a contemplative dialogue between the timelessness of nature and human existence.
Aggregation24-FE011, 2024, Mixed media with Korean mulberry paper, 145x112cm, Courtesy of Gana Art Center
A standout piece is Aggregation15-JL038, a heart-shaped installation accompanied by the sound of a dying heartbeat. Presented as part of Times Reimagined, the work captures the fragility of human life and the tumultuous nature of history. Using visceral imagery and sensory elements, Chun confronts viewers with the realities of conflict and reconciliation.
Chun’s art transcends boundaries, resonating with audiences across the globe. His works are held in esteemed collections, including the British Museum, Hong Kong’s M+, the National Gallery of Australia, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. His recent Healing Series introduces a hopeful dimension, juxtaposing scars of past conflict with brighter, optimistic elements to convey messages of recovery and resilience.
Gana Art Center invites visitors to experience Chun Kwang Young’s journey through time, culture, and emotion. This exhibition promises to offer a profound reflection on humanity’s shared history and a vision for healing and harmony.
Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com
Aggregation08-SE024(Blue), 2008, Mixed media with Korean mulberry paper, 202x362cm, Courtesy of Gana Art Center
Gana Art Center presents Aggregations: Resonance, In-between, a solo exhibition by Chun Kwang Young, from December 4, 2024, to February 2, 2025. This marks Chun’s first solo exhibition in Korea in six years and showcases a wide array of works, including his renowned Aggregation series, large-scale installations, and pieces from his Healing Series. The exhibition provides an opportunity to trace the evolution of Chun’s artistic practice, which has been continuously developed since 1995.
Chun Kwang Young (b. 1944) earned his master’s degree from the Philadelphia University of the Arts in 1971 and has since gained international recognition. Notably, he was invited to the Unlimited section of Art Basel in 2003 and became the first Korean artist to hold solo exhibitions at the Brooklyn Museum in 2018 and the Moscow Museum of Modern Art in 2022. This exhibition also revisits key pieces from his participation in major events, including Artist of the Year 2001 at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) and Times Reimagined, a collateral exhibition of the 59th Venice Biennale.
The Aggregation series is Chun’s signature body of work. It involves wrapping triangular styrofoam shapes in hanji—traditional Korean paper-bearing texts from ancient books such as Confucian classics, legal codes, or novels—before meticulously binding them with twisted paper strings and attaching them to canvases. Inspired by his childhood memories of herbal medicine pouches in his uncle’s pharmacy, Chun combines this cultural motif with Korean jeong (empathy) to create tactile works that evoke deep emotional resonance.
ONT-016, 1986, Oil on canvas, 168x228cm, Courtesy of Gana Art Center
Beyond nostalgia, Chun explores broader themes through Aggregation. The hanji-wrapped fragments not only reflect cultural heritage but also serve as vessels for diverse knowledge, history, and ideologies. Each fragment interacts with others on the canvas, symbolizing the convergence and conflict of ideas across time and space. Through this, Chun’s works become microcosms of human history, reflecting ideological clashes and societal tensions while illustrating the possibility of harmony and new meanings emerging from juxtaposition.
The exhibition highlights the evolution of Aggregation over nearly three decades. Early works in the series incorporated vibrant colors, a technique rooted in Chun’s Light series from the 1980s. Inspired by the changing hues of nature in his hometown of Hongcheon, Chun experimented with layered pigments and strips of paper to create spatial depth on flat surfaces. This structural experimentation laid the foundation for the dimensionality seen in his later works. Recent pieces revisit the use of dynamic colors, blending his initial exploration of chromatic richness with the minimalist tones of earlier iterations.
Key works from Chun’s career are featured, including large-scale installations and video art. Aggregation001-MY057, his first three-dimensional piece, was initially showcased as part of Artist of the Year 2001 and later reimagined for the Venice Biennale. This monumental cylindrical installation embodies Chun’s sculptural approach, with its towering forms evoking both natural landscapes and architectural structures. Also included is Aggregation19-MA023, a towering piece that pairs with the video work Eternity of Existence. The juxtaposition creates a contemplative dialogue between the timelessness of nature and human existence.
Aggregation24-FE011, 2024, Mixed media with Korean mulberry paper, 145x112cm, Courtesy of Gana Art Center
A standout piece is Aggregation15-JL038, a heart-shaped installation accompanied by the sound of a dying heartbeat. Presented as part of Times Reimagined, the work captures the fragility of human life and the tumultuous nature of history. Using visceral imagery and sensory elements, Chun confronts viewers with the realities of conflict and reconciliation.
Chun’s art transcends boundaries, resonating with audiences across the globe. His works are held in esteemed collections, including the British Museum, Hong Kong’s M+, the National Gallery of Australia, and the Victoria and Albert Museum. His recent Healing Series introduces a hopeful dimension, juxtaposing scars of past conflict with brighter, optimistic elements to convey messages of recovery and resilience.
Gana Art Center invites visitors to experience Chun Kwang Young’s journey through time, culture, and emotion. This exhibition promises to offer a profound reflection on humanity’s shared history and a vision for healing and harmony.
