Episode 76: Time
Kang Lim greeted Seoyeon with a nod.
‘…Finally, I see you.’
Seoyeon had been there since Kang Lim started his preliminary work.
They had agreed to look at the space for today’s solo exhibition together.
Although she knew he was usually very focused and not good at noticing his surroundings during work…
She felt a bit disappointed that he didn’t greet her.
‘But why is that interviewer clinging to him like that?’
To Seoyeon, the editor seemed overly excited.
She couldn’t take her eyes off Kang Lim and looked at him with sparkling eyes.
“Even though you’ve been in difficult circumstances, the fact that you’ve consistently painted is inspiring. Everyone was amazed at the sheer volume of your work. We’re really curious about your stored paintings, could you give us a sneak peek?”
Kang Lim spoke as he looked at the firmly closed iron door.
“Ah, that’s an absolute secret. The storage room is always locked. I only go in occasionally myself.”
“Ah, that’s too bad. But! I’m sure you’ll reveal some amazing works at this solo exhibition! Finally, where does your perseverance for long-term projects come from? Could you give a word of advice to other students?”
“Well, I can’t exactly advise others to be persistent. I’m just very lucky.”
“Oh come on, how can this be just luck!”
“No, it really is. I had a lot of people helping me. My parents, my professors, my friends… everyone.”
Kang Lim smiled brightly as he looked at Seoyeon.
[Just do the interview.]
Seoyeon pouted. Seeing her firm expression, Kang Lim spoke.
It seemed like it was time to wrap up the interview.
Honestly, he didn’t know how many questions she had asked already, even though she kept saying it was the last one.
“I just… want to help others in the future, just like those who helped me to pursue art. Art is inherently tough. Everyone in this field says you have to endure.”
The editor, moved by Kang Lim’s sincerity, spoke with admiration.
“You speak so beautifully…”
“Thank you. But I have other things to attend to, so I think we should end the interview here.”
“Oh, of course! Thank you so much for today.”
The editor stood up and extended her hand for a handshake.
“You’re really impressive. Could I have your number?”
“Huh? What do you mean…”
Kang Lim had a bewildered expression.
The editor’s grip was so strong that it was a bit intimidating.
Seeing Kang Lim’s discomfort, the editor laughed.
Realizing it might have seemed too much for a twenty-year-old, she quickly clarified.
“Haha, I didn’t mean it like that! I wanted to contact you before publishing the magazine!”
“Ah, I see. Got it.”
After exchanging numbers, the editor and the camera journalist left.
Now, only one thing remained.
Seoyeon’s eyes, which somehow looked chilly…
Seoyeon and Kang Lim moved to the Heyum Art Museum.
The only sound echoing in the spacious lobby was their footsteps.
There was no one around since it was still morning.
‘Is she really mad? Because that woman was acting too familiar? She always tells me it’s just business…’
Kang Lim glanced at Seoyeon, who was quieter than usual.
He couldn’t figure out why.
“Seoyeon, do you want all the Pepero you got earlier? I’m not really into sweets.”
Seoyeon narrowed her eyes as she spoke.
Her long eyelashes cast shadows on her fair skin.
“Funny, there’s a rumor that you snack on yeongyanggang while working late.”
Oh dear, there are rumors about everything.
Kang Lim, slightly flustered, spoke.
“Oh, um. The sweetness of yeongyanggang is different from chocolate. You like chocolate milk, so it might suit you better. You often say you need sugar.”
“No thanks, you eat them.”
Her tone was still curt.
Kang Lim looked closely at Seoyeon.
“Are you… really mad? Why?”
Seoyeon turned her head, looking out the window.
“No, why would I be mad? I’m just thinking hard for a good exhibition!”
“Ah.”
Seeing Seoyeon’s twitching cheeks, Kang Lim chuckled.
It was the first time he saw such an expression. Cute.
“What are you laughing at!”
“Nothing. Please guide us.”
Heyum spans 8,000 pyeong in total.
It was built by Jeil Group with a construction cost of 150 billion won, designed by three renowned architects.
The interior, excluding the exhibition halls, is luxurious and splendid, while the exterior is geometric and sophisticated.
‘Wow, Willem de Kooning and Gerhard Richter’s paintings… Even the paintings in the corridor are on a different level. These must all be in the collection.’
Kang Lim followed Seoyeon, looking at the paintings.
Heyum, the dream exhibition space for any artist. Only world-class artists get to exhibit here.
It still didn’t feel real that he was going to exhibit there.
“The space where you’ll exhibit is on the top floor. Heyum usually exhibits Korean paintings or traditional art on the 1st and 2nd floors, and contemporary art on the 3rd and 4th floors. The annual schedule is fully booked, but soon the 5th-floor special exhibition hall will be available.”
Seoyeon got into the elevator at the end of a long corridor.
As Kang Lim pressed the 5th-floor button, he spoke.
“It’s a special exhibition hall, but it’s changing to a permanent exhibition this time, right?”
“Yes, you’ll be holding your solo exhibition there for 5 months.”
“Wow, that’s really long. I have to do my best.”
“It’s okay. You’ll do well. Have you seen the other floor’s exhibitions? You get planning hints by seeing many exhibitions.”
“Oh, I saw Professor Lee Sookja’s retrospective. They divided the sections well and arranged the flow nicely. Recreating the studio inside a glass room was also impressive.”
“Right. They said they’d support you as much as possible, so if there’s any setup you want, just let them know.”
Ding-dong.
As the elevator doors opened, bright light flooded Kang Lim’s view.
It was an angelically dazzling space.
Through the large dome-shaped roof, the clear sky was visible.
Warm sunlight streamed in, illuminating the floor like glass.
It was a place distinctly different from other exhibition halls.
The ceiling height alone was enormous, like a botanical garden.
“Wow, it’s really spacious.”
“It’s about three times the size of Baekyeon Gallery.”
Inside the exhibition hall, divided into three zones, there were houses made of blue fabric.
Floating in the air, they looked like ghost houses.
The title of the work was
‘A large textile installation… It’s by artist Seo Doho. Truly impressive.’
A house recreated to its actual size.
So detailed that it seemed the windows could be opened and closed.
The translucent fabric created an overlapping view of the interior and exterior, adding to its mystique.
Kang Lim slowly entered the building.
As the title suggested, there was another house inside the house.
A hanok resembling the sarangchae of Changdeokgung’s Yeongyeongdang.
With his mouth slightly open, Kang Lim stared in awe.
As he moved slowly, the building made of thin fabric swayed slightly.
It was a space that seemed to breathe on its own.
Seoyeon, smiling, spoke.
“Impressive, right? The artist missed his house in Seongbuk-dong while living in New York, so he built the exterior in a Western style and the interior in a hanok style. It’s a piece embracing his hometown.”
“No wonder… It evokes a sense of nostalgia for the space. Visitors will also encounter various memories they hold dear in here…”
“Exactly, a house holds such meaning.”
“Indeed… Installation art is the best for filling large spaces. Moreover, this is very Korean, despite being contemporary art.”
Art reflects its era.
In prehistoric times, surviving and returning from a hunt was the goal of human life.
So, they painted plump animals in caves, praying for abundance.
But what about modern times? Everything is so abundant that it’s excessive.
Especially with the advancement of science and technology, buildings were constructed larger and wider, significantly impacting art.
The most crucial talent required of contemporary artists is dominating vast spaces.
With so many large art museums and the constant need for new works…
Naturally, painters began to abandon paint and paper.
Creating larger, more, and faster became challenging.
Installation works using ready-made products and non-art materials started gaining popularity.
Conceptual art emerged, emphasizing the artist’s idea over the creator.
Artists no longer work alone but create large projects with assistants.
Only then can they endure this era.
‘But I still don’t have a team. I have to make it with my paintings alone.’
Kang Lim thought of the paintings he had created.
There were enough works to fill the space, but he was worried if they could be moving.
‘What concept should I go with…’
A few days later.
Kang Lim was grinding white pigments in a bowl, mixing them with homemade glue.
He kneaded the powdered pigments like flour.
The rounded dough was stuck firmly to a clean plate.
As he slowly poured warm water to dissolve it…
The plate was filled with white paint.
‘Wow, I’ve never seen a painting like this before. It’s amazing.’
Seoyeon admired the bamboo forest next to Kang Lim.
He had something to show after finishing, so she rushed to the residency right after class.
It felt different from the bamboo forest she saw in her uncle’s room.
That was a single-stroke ink painting, but now he was endlessly layering surfaces.
As the thin, transparent ink layers overlapped…
The texture of the sturdy bamboo was being described.
‘It looks Western because of the shading, but it feels unique since it’s ink painting.’
Kang Lim repeatedly applied white pigments to the bamboo nodes.
As the moisture evaporated and the white shell powder accumulated, the thickness increased.
The solidified nodes.
Not only the shading but the painting seemed to pop out of the canvas.
It was a painting that rose like a relief.
‘It’s confusing if it’s a painting or a sculpture…’
The front of the inverted leaves was thicker than the back.
The cylindrical bamboo shoots also had varying heights depending on the distance.
‘I didn’t know white pigments could be piled up this thick… But won’t they fall off? If not, it’s a miracle…’
Seoyeon looked at the focused Kang Lim.
He didn’t even blink and was delicately finishing the painting with a thin brush.
Sweat beaded on his forehead, despite the weather getting quite cold.
The effort itself was already a miracle.
The sharp bridge of his nose and plump lips.
An impression that instilled trust.
Seoyeon felt that Kang Lim was accomplishing something great.
As his Adam’s apple bobbed, she gulped simultaneously.
Kang Lim lifted his brush and looked at Seoyeon.
Their eyes met.
“Is it interesting? How do you like it?”
Seoyeon, startled, shrank her shoulders and replied.
“Yes. It’s really fascinating…”
“But why is your face so red? Is it hot here? Everyone seems to say so.”
“You’re sweating too.”
Seoyeon slowly lowered her gaze to admire the painted picture.
Sunlight shimmered through the dense forest.
The pigments on each leaf varied slightly, giving a subtle feeling of movement.
What was strange, though, was that the upper parts of the leaves seemed to be gnawed.
Had insects eaten them?
Seoyeon tilted her head and asked.
“But why are the leaves torn? They’re all drooping down… Is the sunlight too intense? Did insects eat them? The bamboo shoots also overlap a lot?”
Seeing Seoyeon’s curious, wide eyes, Kang Lim grinned.
“This isn’t sunlight, nor is it insect damage. The overlapping bamboo shoots are because of strong wind.”
“Then why are the leaves like that? Are they burnt or something?”
“Haha, no. Let me show you something amazing. This is the last step.”
Kang Lim poured all the ground ink onto a clean plate.
Mixing the glue solution with the ink in a one-to-one ratio, he soaked a large flat brush in water.
This ratio ensures no brush marks and allows the ink to spread.
Like a ghost passing by.
“Watch closely.”
As Kang Lim swept across the entire surface.
The blank background turned into a pitch-black night sky.
As the cold blue ink filled the canvas…
A chilly winter wind blew through the bamboo.
A biting, sharp wind.
The hollow sound of the wind whistling through the overlapping bamboo could be heard.
The ink slowly seeped into the paper…
Stopping exactly when Kang Lim wanted.
Thanks to that, a bright full moon rose in the sky.
Snow piled up on the leaves.
‘It’s not sunlight, it’s moonlight! And the leaves weren’t torn, they were covered in snow.’
Seoyeon, astonished, covered her mouth with both hands.
No matter how strong the concentration was, it couldn’t completely prevent the ink from penetrating the paper.
What kind of magic could leave only the moon and snow while allowing the ink to spread?
It was beyond Seoyeon’s understanding.
Then, as if reading Seoyeon’s thoughts…
The ink subtly spread, casting shadows between the moon.
As the ink slowly seeped into the piled-up snow, the surface sparkled more.
It delicately drew all the patterns of the snowflakes.
Kang Lim’s long experience and precise knowledge brought the painting to life.
The materials responded to Kang Lim’s affection, showcasing their true value.
