Episode 68: The Artist’s Dream
Ha Baekyeon set up the prepared table at the far end of the exhibition hall, in the most spacious area.
As Kang Lim sat down in front of the neatly draped gray tablecloth, people clapped and cheered.
There were well over 200 people, so Kang Lim felt a bit nervous.
‘Oh, the catalog turned out nice.’
To divert his attention from the people, Kang Lim casually glanced through the catalog placed in front of him.
It was smooth, matte black rendezvous paper, and even the inner pages were all black.
‘The leaflet captures all shades from black to white, but if the catalog were the same, it would be overwhelming. They made it easy to focus on just the paintings.’
With such a catalog, the exhibition space, which felt like exploring in the dark, would leave a lasting impression on the audience.
Even though they couldn’t buy the paintings, they bought the catalog to cherish the memory of today. It’s an excellent design.
On a small table located at the back door of the gallery, packaged snacks were visible.
Thin plastic bags contained mini muffins, crackers, and plastic fruit cups.
Usually, catering is laid out at the start of the opening for everyone to drink together.
Today, because there were too many people, they were packed individually so people could take them as they left.
‘Skipping catering was a stroke of genius… If they had done it, the exhibition hall would be messy with crumbs due to the crowd.’
Kang Lim was touched by her small but thoughtful gestures.
As he gave Ha Baekyeon a faint smile, she picked up the microphone as if she had been waiting.
“Hello, everyone! Now, we will have a Q&A session with the artist. Everyone must be curious about who the artist is, right?”
The audience responded loudly to Ha Baekyeon’s question.
“Yes-!”
“You’re so cool! Artist-nim.”
A single spotlight illuminated Kang Lim in the dark space.
People looked at him with expressions as if they had met a mystical being.
Through the exhibition, they learned his life story and shared deep emotions by viewing his paintings.
Kang Lim had already become someone special in many people’s hearts.
Eyes filled with admiration.
The desire to observe a wondrous being.
Journalists waiting in the wings started to flash their cameras.
There were only five cameras, but since it was Kang Lim’s first time, his eyes felt a bit dazzled.
As the shutter sounds ceased, Ha Baekyeon smiled and began to speak.
“I have already given a basic explanation, so if anyone has questions for the artist, please feel free to raise your hand, and we will pass you the microphone.”
People had many questions, but they were hesitant, worried about being noticed and photographed.
A slightly tense atmosphere…
A young student raised her hand first.
A girl who looked to be in the upper grades of elementary school.
As soon as she received the microphone, she spoke energetically.
“Artist-nim, you seem like a genius! Truly amazing!”
Her sincere compliment made the audience smile.
“But if you have the ability to remember everything, doesn’t your head hurt? It seems like it would be tough if memories suddenly came up.”
Everyone nodded at the child’s question. Quite a few people looked at him with sympathetic expressions, like a concerned mother.
Kang Lim answered in a calm voice.
“People with the same condition as mine say it’s very painful. Memories suddenly come up, and they recall the emotions they felt at that moment, which makes it very hard… But fortunately, it’s not so painful for me.
It feels like I am observing the situation from a step back… It’s more like taking a book from a well-organized library of hundreds of thousands of volumes and reading it. I can recall what I want whenever I need it.”
“Wow, that must be really helpful when studying! So jealous!”
The audience burst into laughter at the girl’s words.
“Yes, it certainly is. It made studying English easier, too. Did that answer your question?”
“Yes! Thank you!”
As laughter erupted once more at Kang Lim’s joke, a woman who looked about the same age as Kang Lim raised her hand and asked a question.
She was the one who had asked if she could take pictures when she first entered the exhibition.
Knowing that Kang Lim was the artist, she seemed even more delighted.
“The subjects in your paintings have glowing eyes. How did you achieve that? It’s so lifelike, especially the third series, the one with the lightning! And the wallpaper patterns looked like cracked stone, too. How did you do that?”
The audience member’s question was sharp. Many people nodded vigorously in agreement.
Holding the microphone again, Kang Lim answered.
“When the subject in the painting looks at the audience, the space extends beyond the canvas. It gives the feeling of being in that place. To maximize that effect, I paid special attention to depicting the eyes, and applied a thin layer of gloss varnish at the end to make them sparkle. It’s a glossy finish.”
“Oh, it was varnish.”
“Yes, and as for the wallpaper, I mixed a little matte medium, so the smooth feel of acrylics was restrained, making it feel rougher compared to other series. Did that answer your question?”
“Yes! Thank you!”
Perhaps she was an art student. The audience member diligently took notes of what Kang Lim said.
Next, a middle-aged man raised his hand and spoke.
“Your outfit today is stylish. Did you coordinate it with the exhibition? It’s a sophisticated black jacket with a retro vibe.”
Only then did Kang Lim glance down at his own clothes.
“Oh, really…? It wasn’t intentional, but it turned out that way.”
As Kang Lim smiled and looked at his mother, Lim Yujin raised her eyebrows.
See? I told you so, didn’t I? I picked a good outfit, didn’t I?
Her bright eyes radiated warmth, her smile leisurely.
Among the crowd, his parents proudly looked at Kang Lim.
The next question came.
“Even the shape of the canvas is unique! It’s a parallelogram. Do they sell those on the market?”
“Oh, no. I made the frame myself.”
“Wow, that’s dedication.”
“The reason for the parallelogram shape is that, just as my mother and I found it difficult to understand each other at that time, the vertices of the two sides do not touch.”
People murmured, fascinated by the hidden meaning. The more they knew, the more enjoyable the painting became.
Of course, Kang Lim didn’t mention the secret that the angle of the parallelogram gradually decreased.
When critics come, they will discover it and write reviews, so there was no need to reveal everything like in a school presentation.
“Artist-nim! Can you sign for me?”
“Me too!”
“Please sign my catalog!”
People stopped asking questions and started gathering in front of Kang Lim.
Their eyes were filled with certainty that Kang Lim would become a famous painter.
As if anticipating this, Ha Baekyeon asked people to line up and glanced at Kang Lim.
Can you handle this?
‘If I knew this would happen, I’d have prepared a signature… What should I do…’
Kang Lim nodded reluctantly.
With his prominent cheekbones and a broad smile, he couldn’t turn away from the people who were so pleased. He never thought this day would come so soon.
People came forward one by one and laid out their purchased catalogs in front of Kang Lim.
As soon as they received his signature, their faces lit up with joy and vitality.
Many people leaned forward to get their signatures faster.
Although it was a bit overwhelming, Kang Lim tried to sign as neatly as possible.
People walked away with satisfied expressions, holding their catalogs.
Their steps seemed light, as if they were floating.
“Wow, the artist signs his name, Kang. Lim, so neatly like a computer.”
“Cool, definitely unique!”
“Does it have any special meaning?”
No, it’s just because I don’t have a signature…
Kang Lim looked at the departing people with unfocused eyes.
He had already become someone whose actions were perceived as having profound meaning.
People left, and another group of people came rushing in.
The exact number of visitors today was still unknown.
The curator was counting the audience at the door, overwhelmed by the unprecedented success of the exhibition.
Over 500 copies of the catalog were sold today.
After finishing the first meeting with the artist, Kang Lim returned to answer more questions during the originally scheduled opening time.
While signing was initially very exciting, the sheer number of people made his hand ache.
‘In times like this, having a single-character name is quite handy.’
The last guests were an elderly couple, and Kang Lim handed over the signed catalog courteously.
For some, an art gallery could be a date spot.
He hoped they would cherish the memories of happy times.
When the meeting with the artist ended, his classmates rushed over to congratulate him.
“Kang Lim! It feels so different from what we saw in the studio!”
“Yeah, it’s freaking awesome. Paintings really shine when they’re hung in a gallery!”
“We pooled 5,000 won each and sent a flower wreath!”
Kang Lim burst into laughter.
Because of the message on the flower wreath at the gallery entrance.
[The God of Art has descended! From all the members of the 24 Solar Terms of the Korean National University of Arts, Department of Fine Arts]
“Why did you send something like that…”
“Hey! It’s your first solo exhibition. We had to do something. We’re not called an elite group for nothing.”
“Guys, thank you so much. I’ll treat you to something delicious. The gallery will close soon, so let’s go for dinner.”
“Yeah, yeah!”
“It’s time for a family restaurant!”
In the midst of it, Lee Hyunseong scrutinized Kang Lim’s clothes and tilted his head.
“Hey, but your outfit is a bit disappointing. Did you wear your dad’s clothes? Won’t you be embarrassed if a photo of you goes online?”
Seoyeon said with wide eyes.
“Why? I think it’s a unique fit, stylish and pretty.”
“Yeah, my mom bought this for me.”
Only then did Lee Hyunseong notice Lim Yujin standing behind him.
“Oh, uh, no wonder the fabric seemed to shine. Does this broad-shouldered fit symbolize the solid future you’re heading towards?”
As Kang Lim burst into laughter, so did Lim Yujin.
“Mom, I’ll be off first. Enjoy your time with your friends.”
“Okay, take care.”
“Congratulations, son!”
His parents gave him a thumbs-up.
While chatting with his friends in the exhibition hall, a familiar voice called out from behind. People he knew kept showing up at unexpected times.
The voice belonged to a singer, with varying tones.
Sung Woojin handed him a bouquet as soon as he arrived.
He had barely made it through the crowd to reach Kang Lim, so the bouquet he bought was slightly crushed.
“Hyung! Congratulations. This is new, not something I picked up…”
Seeing Sung Woojin sigh and fix the bouquet, Kang Lim laughed.
Having people visit a solo exhibition always felt grateful.
Especially since it was the future superstar himself, how could he not feel a bit of fan pride?
“Why did you bring something? Thanks, man.”
“I expected a crowd because of the articles, but this much…”
“I didn’t even know about the articles, so I was more surprised.”
“Wow, really? It was a huge deal on portal sites.”
“I slept too long to know, and my phone was off… Anyway, thanks for coming.”
“Of course, I had to come.”
Sung Woojin looked around and spoke quietly.
“Hyung, I know how you feel a bit because I’ve been the number one search before…”
“Oh, right.”
“The public’s interest is very fickle, it rises and falls quickly. It heats up and then cools down all of a sudden.”
“Haha, were you disappointed that you weren’t trending recently?”
“Yes, I thought I would completely blow up when I was in the spotlight. People were swarming at indie concerts. But it was only for a moment.”
“Well, take your time, and everything will work out.”
“Hyung, you’re having another solo exhibition at Heyum right after this, right? I’m jealous, that’s really important. You have to keep making big splashes, one after another, before people forget.”
“Oh, speaking from experience.”
“Yes, so I hope your next solo exhibition is also a huge success! This first solo exhibition is so good that… expectations for the next one will be higher, but you’ll do great.”
“Yeah, I am a bit worried, but I’ll do my best.”
“Yup, well, I have a performance in the evening, so I’ll just look at the paintings a bit more and go. I should come again when there are fewer people.”
“Ah, it’s a shame I can’t treat you to something delicious.”
“No, I should be treating you. See you next time.”
“Yeah, see you next time.”
Sung Woojin bid farewell to Kang Lim and disappeared into the crowd again.
After having a delicious dinner with his friends, thanking people who contacted him via text, returning to the gallery to help with clean-up, and finishing a simple wine gathering, the day was finally over.
It was now 11 PM, completely dark.
As Kang Lim followed Seoyeon, he savored the lingering taste of wine in his mouth.
“Seoyeon, is it okay for you to go home this late?”
“Oh, the driver is coming to pick me up, so it’s fine.”
“Oh, that’s a relief.”
“But are you very tired? Should I have come another day?”
“No, no. I’m fine. I slept all day yesterday.”
“Haha.”
Seoyeon apologized for not bringing a bouquet today, saying she would show him something else instead.
She didn’t look very sorry, more excited, so it was a bit suspicious. She must have something up her sleeve.
‘What is she going to show me… Isn’t this the way to the residency?’
Kang Lim followed Seoyeon’s sprightly steps.
Both of them were dressed up quite nicely, so to others, it might have looked like they were returning from a wedding.
As expected, Seoyeon entered the Heyum Residency.
It was just a few steps from Baekyeon Gallery, arriving quickly. It was amazing that he had never been here despite its proximity.
Passing through the stopped revolving door, they took the elevator to the third floor.
In the dark night, their footsteps echoed in the moonlit hallway.
‘The right side is Building A, the left side is Building B… They divided it like an apartment…’
For some reason, Kang Lim felt excited.
Having his own studio was a dream for many artists.
In Seoul, renting a shared studio with several artists costs about 300,000 won a month.
Since basements are damp, at least a first-floor building is needed, and for large-scale works over 150 square meters, a space of at least 8 pyeong is required.
‘I never got to work on large-scale projects comfortably because my home was too small…’
Many artists actually quit their craft because they can’t afford a studio.
In the art world, it’s a rule to accumulate at least twenty pieces before holding an exhibition.
Even when holding an exhibition, the paintings usually don’t sell and have to be brought back home, accumulating again.
For another exhibition, new works must be presented…
During the years of making a name for oneself, paintings inevitably pile up in the studio.
Living with an uncertain future, the stress reaches its peak.
Like Kang Lim, every painter has a period of obscurity, accumulating works while enduring.
“I kept saying I’d come, I’d come… and I finally made it today. From now on, I’ll have to paint here. Just looking at the building makes me happy.”
“Don’t be surprised, Kang Lim. I’ve decorated it a lot.”
Seoyeon smiled shyly and handed Kang Lim a key and card key.
“Ta-da!”
As the door opened, Kang Lim’s mouth also opened wide.
Seoyeon indeed had a different class.
