Episode 12: The First Class
This class is about displaying representative works of artists on the screen and analyzing and critiquing their works.
It’s a class that is too overwhelming for freshmen who haven’t yet fully covered Gombrich’s “The Story of Art.”
In reality, most of the students who enrolled in this class were third-year or higher art theory students.
Shin Hansoo wanted students to freely participate in discussions.
However, students could never meet the professor’s expectations.
The lack of knowledge was one issue, but the Korean culture of finding it difficult to talk to professors also played a part. Moreover, since Shin Hansoo was a professor who had translated numerous foreign books and even written bestsellers, it was even more daunting.
In the end, even though they benchmarked foreign-style discussion classes, they couldn’t have lively Q&A sessions with the students.
“Wow… If it weren’t for her, this class might have really been a disaster.”
Kang Lim looked at Seoyeon, who was eagerly raising her hand next to him.
The classroom was darkened with blackout curtains for the presentation.
Even though it was supposed to be hard to see, her face shone brightly.
When Seoyeon first sat next to him, he unconsciously gulped, and the sound of him swallowing was loud enough to be heard.
“Alright. The next painting is… Jackson Pollock’s ‘No. 5.’”
“A technique called drip painting. Simply put, it’s a painting made by splattering paint.”
“This piece, which is often criticized as ‘insincere’ or ‘meaningless,’ was sold at an auction for 150 million dollars (1.5 billion won).”
“Since then, it has received a lot of public criticism. What do you all think about this?”
Seoyeon eagerly raised her hand again.
Her wavy hair glistened over her transparent skin.
Kang Lim smiled at Seoyeon’s sparkling eyes.
“Is it because she’s an art theory major… She’s really passionate.”
Shin Hansoo also smiled at Seoyeon. Though they already knew each other, she was a student any professor would adore.
“Yes. The student in the front, please speak.”
Seoyeon clenched her small hands and cleared her throat before answering.
“Like Kandinsky and Mondrian, Pollock did not start with abstract paintings.”
“Rather, he painted his hometown in a very distorted form.”
“If you look at his early works, you can feel the sadness.”
“Pollock’s ‘drip paintings’ were created after World War II, a time when the world was devastated.”
“At that time, artists thought it was impossible to draw beautiful, pleasant landscapes.”
“With the world in such a state, what was the point of drawing pretty trees and flowers like the Impressionists?”
“In that flow, surrealist artists emerged first, drawing grotesque pictures.”
“They deliberately depicted spaces that couldn’t exist rationally, essentially saying the ordinary life depicted by previous artists was over.”
“And Pollock took it a step further.”
“He completely excluded the rational thought of drawing and created works unconsciously.”
“The unpredictable images created by splattering paint were recorded on film.”
“The process of creating the painting and the action itself were included in the work.”
“This is the first case of introducing ‘action’ into art, which is significant, and it greatly influenced performance art groups that emerged after the 1960s.”
Seoyeon’s words poured out like a torrent.
Kang Lim was impressed by Seoyeon.
And he was a bit puzzled.
“Wow, why is a critic so protective of the artists? Usually, critics love to tear them apart, don’t they?”
Kang Lim thought it would be nice if someone like Seoyeon wrote reviews for exhibitions.
She seemed like someone who would open new horizons of appreciation for the public with her interpretations.
“But still, there’s something missing.”
Though her interpretation was perfect from an art historical perspective, it was somewhat lacking when seen from the flow of world history.
At that moment, Shin Hansoo nodded and spoke.
“Good point. You’ve described the flow of art history well. Any other opinions?”
Shin Hansoo just asked for formality. There were no students who could answer further.
To draw out deeper thoughts, one had to have studied the entire 20th-century postmodern art theory,
and it was unlikely that students had such extensive knowledge.
Moreover, the additional content was not well covered in art history books.
So,
“It’s my turn to explain again.” He smacked his lips…
A hand was raised in the front row.
It was Kang Lim, a student who had been on his mind since the beginning.
“Yes. Please speak.”
Kang Lim looked straight at Shin Hansoo and opened his mouth.
His clear eyes were full of strength.
Had he ever seen such a bold student?
“Pollock bringing ‘action’ into the realm of art is of great art historical value. I agree with that point.”
“But if you look at the work itself, the fact that it was sold for 150 million dollars cannot be explained by the work alone.”
Shin Hansoo’s mouth slightly opened.
He licked his dry lips and thought, ‘No way… Is he going to say exactly what I was about to say?’
“The art world is much more political than you might think. Huge capital logic is closely linked.”
“The important point here is that Pollock was an American.”
“What kind of country is the United States?”
“Compared to other countries, it was not severely affected or damaged by World War II.”
“On the contrary, it made and sold weapons, quickly amassing wealth and developing rapidly.”
“But there was one thing that America, which had everything, lacked.”
“History.”
“America is a country with a trauma of having a short history.”
“Even after declaring independence, it was dismissed as having no roots.”
“It felt infinitely inferior compared to Europe, where culture and art were developed.”
“So during this period, America launched a national movement to nurture artists. This is where Pollock fits in.”
“You probably know well that American artists continued to emerge, including the pop artists.”
“I’m not saying Pollock’s paintings lack artistic value. But would he have become a world-renowned artist if he hadn’t been born in America and received praise from critics like Clement Greenberg?”
Kang Lim’s words were easy to understand, so all the students nodded.
A smart person always made others understand easily.
Shin Hansoo was deeply impressed to see his thoughts turned into simple words.
He initially thought of him as just a rival to his son, but it was clear that Kang Lim was not someone to be judged with such small and petty thoughts.
All the students focused on Kang Lim.
“This is why, even if I splatter paint, I can’t become Pollock.”
Kang Lim added a joke at the end.
The classroom was instantly filled with the students’ laughter.
Since it was an art theory class, almost everyone knew Kang Lim was a practical major student.
Shin Hansoo became increasingly curious about the works Kang Lim would create.
“What kind of work will this guy present at the exhibition… No, no. Let’s focus on the class first.”
Shin Hansoo began to elaborate on Kang Lim’s omitted points.
“Excellent. As the student mentioned, in Europe, there was a trend called L’Informel…”
Starting from the art history of nearby Europe, he was about to explain what the critics’ claims were in detail.
“Was my opposing view too strong…”
Meanwhile, as Shin Hansoo’s lengthy explanation began, Kang Lim started to worry a little.
Because he had said something completely opposite to Seoyeon’s claim.
He didn’t want to be disliked, but he wondered if it was too much, so he glanced at her.
He turned his head to see her expression…
Seoyeon’s face suddenly appeared right next to him.
Kang Lim was startled and tensed up at the face that was so close it could touch him.
Instead of an angry expression, she was looking at him with sparkling eyes.
Seoyeon approached without hesitation and whispered in his ear.
“Wow. You’re amazing. Is it because you’re the top student?”
Her round eyes turned into crescent shapes as she smiled brightly.
Warm breath entered his ear.
Her face beamed with a smile.
His heart pounded uncontrollably.
Kang Lim turned his head silently.
After that, the content of the class didn’t really sink in.
That scene earlier would probably be a memory he would never forget, even without the strange memorization ability he gained after his regression.
As Shin Hansoo finished the class and left the classroom, the students got up in a rush.
With the sound of chairs scraping, one or two complaints started to burst out.
“Wow… Filling the full two hours on the first day of class is insane.”
“But there’s a lot to learn. The level of analysis is definitely different.”
“Do you even understand it? I found it a bit difficult.”
“I found it hard too. But who are those kids sitting in the front? They’re not from our department, but they were having discussions with the professor…”
“Aren’t they practical art majors? I think one of them was the top student in the Fine Arts Department.”
As students put their laptops in their bags and left the classroom, they glanced at Kang Lim.
“Why are practical art majors here? Usually, they’re too scared to come to Shin Hansoo’s class.”
“True. If you get on a critic’s bad side, it’s tough to continue as an artist.”
“Hey. On the flip side, if you get on their good side, it means your career as an artist could flourish. Maybe that’s why they’re here?”
“Anyway, I don’t understand why they’re so good at speaking. What are we going to do after we graduate?”
Art theory students typically write critiques or columns and get employed at museums as curators.
Their job is to interpret works and plan exhibitions!
But today, the artist spoke better.
“…Why are we being slaughtered by them? It feels like they took over our major.”
“Seriously… Should we just drop this class?”
“Hey. How can you drop a major requirement?”
“Sigh… I really want to cry.”
Kang Lim took out his phone and looked at his schedule.
He ignored the students who were grumbling and checked the building for his next class.
“Is your next class with Professor Koo Haeyoung?”
When he looked ahead, the girl who sat next to him was still there.
Sunlight streaming through the window settled on Seoyeon’s blushing cheeks.
Her face looked even prettier in the light.
‘But why is she speaking informally? Is she older?’
Kang Lim was a bit confused.
Though she looked young, there weren’t many twenty-year-old freshmen in this place.
“Do you know me?”
“Pfft. Who wouldn’t know you? I’m also a freshman in the Fine Arts Department.”
Seoyeon smiled brightly and extended her hand to Kang Lim.
At the sudden offer of a handshake, Kang Lim awkwardly took her hand.
Her hand was soft and warm.
‘It’s surprising that a Fine Arts student could critique like that…’
Seoyeon thought of a list of good restaurants near the school and licked her lips.
“And you can speak informally! I’m twenty too.”
“…”
“Let’s have lunch together!”
Kang Lim’s phone buzzed.
[Where are you? Lunch?]
It was Lee Hyunseong.
Kang Lim ignored the text and put his phone in his pocket.
“Sure.”
