Sayart.net - Wang Guangle’s First Solo Exhibition in Korea Explores the Depth of Time and Mortality

Wang Guangle, a pioneer of conceptual painting in China, is presenting his first-ever solo exhibition in Korea at Pace’s Seoul Gallery. The exhibition, running from September 4 to October 26, coincides with Frieze Seoul and offers a unique exploration of Wang’s artistic themes through three never-before-exhibited works. Known for his process-based approach to painting, Wang’s work delves into the concepts of temporality, physicality, and the tension between form and meaning, with a particular focus on how time is experienced rather than described.

The exhibition, titled simply Wang Guangle, features works from his renowned Coffin Paint and Untitled series, brought together in a site-specific installation that seeks to immerse visitors in the artist’s exploration of time and mortality. Inspired by traditions from his hometown in Fujian, where elders annually lacquer their coffins as a meditation on death, Wang’s Coffin Paint series captures life’s fleeting moments through layers of paint applied repeatedly over time. These works not only represent the passage of time but also compress Wang’s emotions and memories into his materials, resulting in intricate textures and distinct lines that evoke both life and its inevitable end.

In one of the standout works from the Coffin Paint series featured in this exhibition, Wang employs a new technique by orienting the canvas vertically and allowing gravity to influence the paint’s flow. This approach allows the artist to relinquish some control, letting natural forces shape the work’s final form, creating a vibrant and dynamic composition that invites viewers to reflect on the forces beyond human control.

In his Untitled series, which began in 2007, Wang uses rectangular lines along the edges of the canvas to create an illusion of depth, as though opening a portal within the composition. Through repeated layering, each brushstroke records traces of the artist’s physical interaction with the canvas, making his body’s relationship to the medium an essential element of the completed work.

This exhibition also features a specially constructed installation designed to complement and enhance the three featured paintings. The installation emphasizes organic forms and interconnectedness, inviting visitors to contemplate the subtle yet profound relationships between time, life, and mortality.

Wang Guangle’s contribution to conceptual painting has been widely recognized, both in China and internationally. As a founding member of the N12 artist group, he has helped break from the traditional forms of representational painting in favor of more abstract, process-driven art. His works have been exhibited in major venues and biennales across the world, including the Beijing Commune, Busan Biennale, and the California-Pacific Triennial, among many others.

With this exhibition, Wang Guangle’s unique exploration of time and existential themes finds new resonance in Korea, offering audiences a profound and immersive experience that connects deeply with universal human concerns.

Sayart / Jason Yim, yimjongho1969@gmail.com