Episode 109: Inherent Destiny
William Carter was sitting in his mansion in Paris, reading an article.
He had only appeared at the preview auction once, but many reporters acted as if he had bought a painting.
Every time he saw such reactions, he felt one thing: that he had the artists of the art world in his grasp.
Well, he did run Chelsea Street, which dominated the American art scene, so it was true.
“In the end, R.F. will come to New York too. It might start in Europe, but…”
At Carter’s words, his secretary and curator, Adam, spoke up.
“Yes, because to gain recognition in America, you need to exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art in New York. That’s every artist’s dream.”
“Right. But why have you seemed so discontented since earlier?”
Carter looked into Adam’s dark expression. Golden eyes sparkled beyond the newspaper.
What could be hidden from him? Adam took a small breath and replied.
“…Honestly, I don’t understand why you’re so concerned about R.F. The painting, which layered the steps of cooking with unique materials, was intriguing but not shocking.”
“The appearance of the letters was quite surprising, wasn’t it? I’ve never been so intrigued by a painting before.”
“But, sir, you prefer something more provocative…”
Adam glanced at an acrylic box placed in the room. It was a box with a special freezing device. Inside it was a human head made of blood. It was
This sculpture was Carter’s most cherished possession. It clearly demonstrated his provocative taste.
Carter burst into laughter as if understanding what Adam was trying to say.
“Hahaha. Of course, compared to that piece, it was less shocking. Self is a living work. Without the freezer, it melts away… it’s a piece with life that can only exist in specific conditions. It makes you feel the transience and futility of life.”
“Do you think R.F. will eventually create such a work?”
“Yes, I think it’s possible. No, he’ll do something even more interesting.”
Adam tilted his head and frowned slightly.
“Is it because of the Da Vinci Code that R.F. discovered?”
“Yes.”
“But wasn’t that thanks to Shin Hansoo? It was because of the plates studying all of Da Vinci’s works and life. Drawing the Last Supper without a vanishing point alone wouldn’t have been accepted by academia. R.F.’s claim shone because it was backed by in-depth research from materials to restoration studies.”
“You’re talking about the chicken and the egg. Is the idea important, or the theory supporting it? That’s what you’re saying, right?”
“You could see it that way, but…”
“Sorry, but I always think the idea comes first. All scientific theories also started from creative ideas.”
Carter stood up and walked over to where Self was placed.
The cut neck and ears were gnawed. The dark red bloodstains looked even more grotesque due to the deformed shape.
“Ah! It’s a really delightful piece.”
Carter closely examined the inside of the acrylic box and raised one corner of his mouth.
Adam shivered slightly at the fishy smile. No matter how many times he saw it, he couldn’t get used to that maniacal grin.
“I remember the day you almost ruined this piece! You turned off the freezer along with the gallery lights and went home, so it almost melted.”
“…I’m sorry. I almost fainted when I came back and saw blood on the gallery floor.”
“Haha. There’s nothing to apologize for. It became 100 times more expensive thanks to that. Your mistake showed how fragile life is, didn’t it? It accidentally increased the intrinsic value of the piece.”
Mark Quinn had been creating the same series of self-portraits using his blood every five years.
Among them, the first piece that accidentally melted became the most expensive, making it a delightful event for Carter.
“I believe geniuses are created by their era. All conditions for their ideas to shine arise as if by fate. Whether they meet someone or experience a coincidental event… that’s all part of their skill. What’s important is whether they brought out something novel that previous generations hadn’t thought of. Nothing else matters.”
“……”
“Indeed, since this piece, many works involving decomposition have emerged. Artists started using perishable organisms to express life and death.”
Carter stopped and stood in front of Adam. He grabbed Adam’s shoulders firmly and looked into his shining eyes.
“You’re still far from it, Adam. Hahaha!”
After Carter’s hearty laughter echoed and quieted down, Adam spoke.
“…I’ll study more. So, when should we book the return flight?”
“Oh. No need to book it. I think R.F. will hold a solo exhibition nearby soon. That guy is very smart and clever.”
How could you understand an artist from just one painting?
Carter looked out the window and placed his hand over his pounding heart.
Was there anyone else who excited him this much? It had been a long time since he felt so alive.
How much time had passed in Place du Tertre?
People playing the violin and dancing to the beat stopped their movements.
Artists who had finished their performances heard that someone was drawing them before heading home.
They gathered around Kang Lim, becoming another set of spectators.
They had seen many sketches of themselves by artists during performances, but it was the first time they had seen such a delicate painting.
Even though it was just a back view, it conveyed many stories… it touched their hearts unexpectedly.
The lively square became quiet, and everyone sat around Kang Lim.
Several life-sized people were already drawn on the long canvas.
It was a simple composition with only back views drawn on a dark background without any background.
Despite the simple composition, the drawing had significant attraction.
It captured a moment in motion, like a snapshot.
The audience looked at Kang Lim with curiosity.
He exuded an incredible concentration, as if he didn’t feel their admiring gazes at all.
‘It’s so cold, but everyone stays without leaving. It’s really odd…’
Charlotte was also sitting among the crowd.
She pointed her camera lens with trembling hands.
Next to her was Seoyeon, filming the scene just like Charlotte.
It was mysterious, as if she’d been watching this kind of scene for a long time, calmly filming.
‘I need to stay calm too… I can’t show a shaky screen to Fraser.’
Charlotte took a deep breath and grabbed the camera again.
She was focused solely on capturing the scene properly.
Kang Lim fixed the tightly dried canvas. It was time to draw the last painting.
As he turned his head to decide what to draw, an old man caught his eye.
The old man resembled his current self.
Unconcerned with others’ gazes, looking at something else alone, just like him.
The old man was sitting on a chair, watching pigeons.
They were poor birds eating the snow because there was no food.
He occasionally threw them crumbs, and the pigeons started pecking each other with bloodshot eyes.
‘How can he be so absorbed? It’s innate.’
To Charlotte, Kang Lim seemed to have left only the subject he was observing in the world.
Everything else faded to white.
Without hesitation, he picked up the brush and followed the lines of the figure in his own world.
Kang Lim first applied colors with low brightness and saturation.
He gradually built up the bright colors step by step, depicting the figure emerging from the darkness.
As the old man bent his back, the dark gray coat tightened.
It was a thin wool coat with slight creases from not being ironed for a long time.
‘Wow, he’s drawing the unseen parts behind the backrest by imagination…’
Kang Lim drew nothing but the figure.
Thanks to that, the old man sitting on the chair seemed to float in the air.
Charlotte was amazed at the delicate depiction of the dynamic pose, as if the old man was sitting on a transparent chair.
Thoroughly drawing a figure within a limited view is difficult. He was a painter with excellent anatomical knowledge.
‘Wow… he really depicts the human body realistically. But why is the old man dressed so lightly in this cold?’
The old man’s thin skin around his exposed neck looked vulnerable in the winter wind.
The detailed depiction of his thin ankles and calluses peeking out from his short socks kept catching her eyes.
‘His dynamic pose is precise, and the colors on his clothes are sensuous. Just like Degas depicted ballerinas.’
Today’s weather was overcast, like a smog.
So the momentary sunlight that came in sparkled even more.
Kang Lim didn’t miss the moment when a ray of light fell on the old man’s shoulder.
As the faint rainbow-colored light spread out, a nostalgic aura enveloped the previously languid back view.
As the painting was nearly completed, the old man began to pack up his belongings. It seemed he was about to leave.
Kang Lim also took out a clean flat brush to finish up.
When the old man stood up, Kang Lim swept the still-wet colors.
The drawn back view blurred slightly, capturing the movement.
‘Wow…’
Charlotte looked around with her mouth open.
Everyone shared the same feeling.
Soon, endless applause and cheers broke the silence.
It was a live painting more wonderful than any busking performance.
“What? An encore in art?”
“It’s fascinating! How can someone draw like that while watching people? Everyone wants to see more!”
While packing up his materials, Kang Lim shook his head. He couldn’t help but laugh at Seoyeon’s red nose and cheeks.
An encore in this cold? They needed to warm up first.
Of course, he enjoyed interacting with people. It was always thrilling. It was delightful that there was something that transcended language barriers through art.
“So, the exhibition concept is a black hole? That’s so interesting!”
Seoyeon smiled as she checked the blueprint Kang Lim had drawn. This project was really innovative. As Professor Shin Hansoo said, it was hard to just call Kang Lim a painter. This was a concept of installation art that dominated space.
“Yeah, I’m going to change the background color of the back views to black. If I cover the exhibition space with the same color, people can really focus on the figures… they’ll look like they’re floating in the air.”
“Ugh… that’s really cool. I can’t wait to set it up. There’s still a month left!”
“A month? It will be pretty tight to get the rest of the materials. That’s the more important part.”
Kang Lim pointed to the lists he had given to Seoyeon.
There were many things to purchase, including lights.
“Don’t worry! I’ll get them all ready before the exhibition. I know they’re essential to complete the work.”
“Great, then I just need to organize my paintings.”
“Yeah, I’ll also create the catalog and posters to match the concept and show them to you.”
“Okay. But… why has that woman been wandering around for a while?”
Kang Lim packed his art supplies and slung them over his shoulder.
He noticed a woman watching him from a distance.
She slowly approached.
Up close, she was a familiar face.
“Hello. Um, I didn’t bring my business card because I came out in a hurry… I’m Charlotte Flair. I’m an art director in Hollywood. You can find my face on the internet…”
Charlotte spoke with a tone of reverence, almost at a loss for words.
How could she randomly meet the perfect artist while taking a walk to clear her mind?
She was so happy she found it difficult to articulate clearly.
“Ha… really. This is destiny. May I know your name, artist?”
“It’s Kang Lim.”
She spoke with an overwhelmed expression, as if she didn’t know what to do.
Her chest felt like it was going to burst from excitement.
“If you don’t mind, could we cast you for our art team, Kang Lim?”
