Episode 61: Concept
Kang Lim was satisfied with the story he had created.
It felt astonishingly novel.
‘I’ve never felt this good about any of my works since I started school… No, have I ever felt like this while working before?’
It’s rare for an artist to be satisfied with their own work.
Especially those with a keen eye and a perfectionist tendency.
That’s how precious this story was to him.
Kang Lim hoped that his print artwork wouldn’t be overly replicated and circulated, lowering its value.
Although the symbolic story structure was similar to a fairy tale, this wasn’t a fairy tale book; it was a piece of art.
‘The edition number for this print artwork is three. Only three exist worldwide.’
The edition number of a print is marked at the bottom of the print and indicates how many copies the artist decided to produce from the original plate.
When three copies are made like now, the first edition is marked as ‘1/3’ and so on.
Usually, prints are produced in editions of 30 to 40 copies.
Therefore, an edition number of three is quite rare.
It’s akin to the number of original paintings that exist.
It’s literally a limited edition.
Kang Lim counted the number of prints he had made.
And he checked to ensure there were no mistakes in the edition numbers.
‘Since I made three copies of the 15-story illustrations, it totals 45 sheets.’
An artist must only own the number of works indicated by the edition number.
This is a promise between the artist and the audience and an unspoken rule in the art world.
Breaking such basics makes it hard to be called an artist.
‘Actually, there’s another reason why the edition number is three. It’s not just because I treasure the story.’
Just like the Sphinx guarding the pyramid asks a riddle.
Kang Lim posed a riddle to the audience at the end of the story.
There are exactly three correct answers to that riddle.
He wanted even the number to match the edition number.
Bzzz-
At that moment, Kang Lim received a text message on his phone.
[Ha Baekyeon: Hello, Kang Lim-ssi. I shipped the exhibition leaflets today. They should have arrived by now. I asked to leave them in front of the studio door, so please check. I sent you about 150 copies. The rest will be placed in the exhibition hall.]
[Kang Lim: Wow, the leaflets are out already? There’s still time before the exhibition opens… Amazing.]
Ha Baekyeon was as efficient and meticulous as her first impression suggested.
[Ha Baekyeon: Haha, the leaflets are necessary for inviting others, so I made them quickly. The catalog is still under proofreading. Please wait a little longer.]
[Kang Lim: Yes, thank you.]
Kang Lim gathered the completed print series and headed straight to the studio.
As soon as Kang Lim entered the studio, he headed to his corner partition.
He even bought a new locker to store the print works until the presentation.
After placing 45 illustrations in the locker, he closed the door.
He checked if it was securely locked.
It was a drawer with a keyhole that could be locked.
‘If paint splatters on these like during the previous group exhibition, I might faint…’
Kang Lim still remembered the time when the paintings he had worked on for a month got ruined.
It had actually become a bit of a trauma.
He never wanted to experience that again.
Of course, one might say that since it’s a print, he could just reprint it from the original plate, so what’s the big deal?
But the feeling of an etching print varies depending on how much ink is applied and wiped off and how much the plate is corroded on that particular day.
Kang Lim had experimented with the plate over a hundred times to produce the three editions he was most satisfied with, and he burned all the failed works.
So, it was natural for him to show symptoms akin to obsession.
‘Now I need to go get the leaflets.’
As Ha Baekyeon had mentioned, the already delivered box was in front of the studio door.
Kang Lim used a small cutter to remove the tape and opened the box.
As soon as he took out one of the densely packed leaflets, his peers gathered around him.
The students looked enviously and said,
“Wow! Are these personal exhibition leaflets? They’re so pretty!”
“Kang Lim’s series has the same parallelogram shape as the canvas frame?”
“The quality is amazing. The curator must be really dedicated to the concept, just like Kang Lim.”
Kang Lim was also inwardly moved as he looked at the leaflets.
Unlike the basic rectangular leaflets, the parallelogram shape required additional cutting, which significantly increased the cost.
‘To think they put so much effort into making these leaflets, which aren’t even catalogs…’
Usually, exhibition leaflets are provided free to the audience, so they aren’t made with as much care as catalogs.
Since catalogs are sold to the audience, everything from the inner pages to the cover material is scrutinized. However, leaflets are often considered temporary and disposable.
“Kang Lim, can I take one of these?”
In response to his peers’ questions, Kang Lim smiled and said,
“Of course. They’re invitations. I’d be grateful if you took them.”
“Yay!”
“We’ll definitely come to see it!”
The students unfolded the leaflets, smiling.
The folding creases repeated back and forth, creating an accordion-like form.
“Wow… Kang Lim, this concept is extraordinary. The first page starts in black and the last page ends in white! Just like in your mother’s paintings, her expression gradually becomes happier!”
“Whoa… You’re right, it captures that. The gray gradation inside is incredibly detailed… Who makes a brochure this beautifully? Even the typography is so sophisticated.”
“As expected, Baekyeon Gallery is different… Gangnam is the best.”
Kang Lim examined the leaflet closely, looking surprised.
On the black cover, the exhibition title <24 Seasons of Emotions>, the date, and the opening time were neatly designed in typography.
When he turned the cover, the first painting in Kang Lim’s series appeared.
It was the most intense image that conveyed his mother’s mental shock.
Sure enough, the last page featured the 24th painting in the series.
It was an image of his mother smiling brightly in the sunlight.
The leaflet contained only these two pieces.
Their drastically contrasting appearances made it hard to believe they were the same woman…
‘This leaflet perfectly conveys the intent of my work.’
The middle pages contained Kang Lim’s name and a brief biography.
There were also notes written by Kang Lim, reflecting on the paradox that those who think understanding people is impossible might actually come closer to understanding.
The contrasting emotions between his mother and himself, and the days they spent narrowing that gap…
Ha Baekyeon’s critique of Kang Lim’s work was also included.
It was a remarkably clean brochure.
‘Who would throw this away?’ he thought, marveling at its beauty.
“I’m going to distribute these.”
Kang Lim took out about 20 leaflets and headed to the professor’s office floor.
Each professor’s office door had a clear mailbox attached, and it’s a rule in the art department to always inform professors about personal exhibitions.
“Okay, have a good trip!”
The students watched enviously as Kang Lim ran off with a bunch of leaflets.
They sighed, wondering when they might be able to hold such an exhibition themselves.
However, even Kang Lim had one concern.
‘…Should I place one in Professor Shin Hansoo’s office too?’
Shin Hansoo wasn’t a professor in the Department of Plastic Arts, but he was an art school professor, and he had once mentioned wanting to see Kang Lim’s work when he took his class.
However, since Plastic Arts students rarely take his classes, he was unsure if it was just a polite remark.
It had already been a lot of time since the first semester…
A few days before the presentation.
Kang Lim had been tirelessly sculpting marble for several weeks.
Marble is less prone to discoloration and remains well-preserved for a long time, and it’s softer than other stones, allowing for delicate expressions.
However, it was still a challenging task.
Kang Lim’s face looked almost like a spoiled fish.
He was originally pale, but now he was even more bloodless, with dark circles deepening.
He had been staying up late, drinking energy drinks…
Despite his worn-out appearance, his mind was in a peculiar state of alertness.
He felt a floating sensation.
‘Wow, drinking these energy drinks, I’m not sleepy, but I feel like I’m losing my mind…’
Working on both the story illustrations and sculptures.
In hindsight, it was a crazy endeavor.
‘But this will surely be my best work…’
Kang Lim was carving marble with a power drill almost like a robot.
He couldn’t afford even a slight error, so he bit his lips nervously despite his fatigue.
His pupils dilated, and his eyes trembled severely.
He felt like he was on the verge of a facial spasm.
‘Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually doing this… I didn’t think it was possible…’
Kang Lim was crafting a heart-shaped bag from the story.
The bag had to open and close.
So, he ordered two marble blocks, each about 50x50x50cm, splitting the heart into top and bottom halves.
The problem was that the inside of the bag had to be hollow, which meant carving out the inside of the marble—a truly labor-intensive task.
Without an electric drill, it would have been impossible.
Kang Lim used vibrating saws and minimized the use of chisels struck with hammers.
Since the marble wasn’t solid throughout, striking it hard could shatter the stone.
He had to maintain a consistent thickness for the heart and carve both the inside and outside simultaneously.
‘If this breaks, I’m done for.’
He was currently detailing the outside of the heart.
The first impression the audience would get would be from the outer surface rather than the inner one…
Kang Lim put his heart and soul into making the details as fine as possible.
He carved the bulging exterior and delicate veins to ensure everything was visible…
He used a small power drill to meticulously grind the details.
‘Thank goodness it’s Carrara marble…’
This Italian-imported stone was so soft, it was almost like clay, and its high density meant less risk of breaking.
Compared to the granite abundant in Korea, which had many cracks and tended to break easily, it was a godsend.
‘If the person who made the Seokguram Buddha statue had been born in Europe, they’d have been Michelangelo.’
Kang Lim was grateful to have been born in an era where marble could be freely ordered and used.
Of course, marble sculpting was still hard work…
For the finishing touch, he made the veins curve to resemble the handles of a bag.
He used sandpaper to polish parts, making the external surface of the heart feel moist and glossy.
He then fixed hidden hinges to combine the top and bottom halves, completing the piece.
Baekyeon Gallery.
Ha Baekyeon was writing an article to send to the press with the curator.
It was to announce Kang Lim’s solo exhibition.
The catalogs had all arrived, so the only thing left was to install the artworks.
‘Kang Lim-ssi said he would give me the studio address but hasn’t contacted me yet.’
Ha Baekyeon typed a text message.
[Ha Baekyeon: Kang Lim-ssi, we’re planning to bring the artworks before the exhibition opens. Could you send me the studio address? We need to start installing.]
Soon, a quick reply came.
[Kang Lim: Ah! I’ve been busy and forgot. Sorry.]
[Ha Baekyeon: It’s okay, I figured as much.]
[Kang Lim: Yes, the studio is at Heyum Residency Building A, 2nd floor.]
[Ha Baekyeon: What? Heyum Residency?]
[Kang Lim: Yes, I was selected as a sponsored artist, so I moved all my works there.]
[Ha Baekyeon: But isn’t Heyum’s age limit 24 years old?]
[Kang Lim: They lowered it to 20 years for me… Haha…]
[Ha Baekyeon: Oh my! Congratulations. It’ll be big news when it’s announced.]
[Kang Lim: Thank you. I haven’t been to the studio yet, but I heard there’s a security guard. I’ll call ahead to let them know you’ll be stopping by. The artworks shouldn’t be hard to find. The series is fixed to the canvas frames, while the other works are all individual sheets.]
[Ha Baekyeon: Got it. I’ll inform the transport team.]
An idea struck Ha Baekyeon after hearing the unexpected news.
“Jinah, let’s not release the article today, and don’t post anything yet.”
“Huh? Why all of a sudden?”
“Let’s wait until Heyum announces their sponsored artist before releasing it. Then we can follow up.”
“What does Heyum have to do with us? Wouldn’t our news get overshadowed?”
“Kang Lim was selected for the Heyum Residency.”
“What? Isn’t Kang Lim 20 years old?”
“His work is so good they lowered the age limit for him.”
“Wow.”
“If we promote it together, it’ll get a lot of attention.”
“Art exhibition news usually doesn’t get many views, but Heyum gets a lot because of Ryu Junho. Plus, it’s a top-tier group.”
“Exactly. So let’s wait a few more days. I’m stepping out for a bit.”
“Where are you going?”
“With such strong PR, we need to create a unique setup.”
Leaving the curator behind, Ha Baekyeon quickly exited the gallery.
