Episode 86: Overlapping
[Kang Lim’s
(Photo) Seoul Gangnam-gu Heyum Museum of Art. Artist Kang Lim attending the opening reception.
The Korean art world, criticized for its solid cartel formed by established artists, is experiencing an unprecedented boom with the arrival of a young rookie.
Kang Lim (19), dubbed the ‘idol of the art world,’ is the protagonist of this trend.
Kang Lim’s second solo exhibition
A panoramic view of a massive mountain created by assembling over 1,000 sculptures.
This piece, which maximizes the advantages of the space, offered visitors a visually transcendent shock.
Among the younger generations, it has become popular to take and post ‘proof shots’ tailored to the exhibition pamphlet.
Heyum is thus reaping additional promotional benefits from SNS.
The planned exhibition surpassed 10,000 visitors in less than a week.
Visitors complained that the five-month exhibition period is too short because the artwork is expected to continually change.
In response, Heyum’s director, Ryu Miyeon (44), considering the performance aspect of the artwork, decided to extend the exhibition period by three more months.
Best Comments
Why are all the photos in the article with his eyes closed? LOL.
└ Seems like he’s not used to the flash yet, cute LOL.
└ Seeing these photos makes him look more human.
└ The artwork was amazing. Went with my parents and it felt like we went on a trip.
└ Thank you for the unique exhibitions every time. Others should definitely check it out.
- What’s with calling him the idol of the art world? Did the reporter just decide to call him that?
└ It probably just means he’s really popular.
└ He seems to have a deep style, but calling him an idol makes it sound too generic.
└ Originality is crucial in art.
- Is this the last domestic exhibition for this year?
└ Apparently, his overseas schedule is fully booked for next year.
└ So that’s why the exhibition keeps changing…
└ Why do they go abroad once they become famous? So that’s why he’s called an idol.
“Aigoo… being loved, huh?”
Song Gijeong, wearing small magnifying glasses on the tip of his nose, read the article down to the comments.
Every time he read the comments, the corners of his mouth twitched without him realizing it.
It’s always a joy when a student is recognized.
“What are you looking at so intently?”
“Argh!”
Song Gijeong screamed when Kang Lim suddenly appeared.
Speak of the devil and he shall appear.
This ghost-like brat, he had no idea when he arrived without a sound.
Kang Lim picked up the fallen phone and handed it to Song Gijeong.
He glanced at the screen and saw his own face with closed eyes.
“…….”
I must not close my eyes next time.
Though he wasn’t pleased with the photo, the fact that his grandpa was looking at it made him feel proud.
Kang Lim chuckled and said,
“Aww, you’re sneakily looking at it alone again.”
“I just clicked on it because something popped up.”
“Ha ha, yeah right.”
“I’m serious! You rascal!”
“If you say so, could you do me a favor?”
Kang Lim handed over a large rolled-up piece of traditional Korean paper (hanji).
What is this rascal up to now?
Song Gijeong asked with an expectant look.
“What is this?”
“I need to mount a piece of ink wash painting… I need your help, master. As you know, anything over 100-ho (a size unit) can’t be done alone, right?”
Unlike colored paintings, ink wash paintings are done on thin hanji.
The effect of ink spreading is crucial.
After completion, the fragile paper can’t be displayed as is, so another hanji is attached to reinforce it.
This process is called ‘mounting.’
Song Gijeong touched the long-rolled artwork and said,
“Hmm… let’s see. This would cost about 300,000 won.”
“Aww, come on.”
Mounting is a skill that depends on the person, so the price is negotiable.
The more unusual the size, the higher the cost.
For instance, an ink wash painting that is narrow and horizontally long.
Though smaller than the current 120-ho (193.9 cm x 112.1 cm) Kang Lim has, it is much more expensive.
120-ho is a standard size, so no need to cut the paper, but the latter requires custom cutting.
Moreover, seamlessly joining pieces of hanji is very challenging.
Kang Lim unfolded
“It’s a standard size, and I’m helping too. 100,000 won!”
“You rascal!”
Water brushes, glue brushes, spray bottles, and wooden spatulas.
Various mounting tools were laid out on a spacious desk.
Song Gijeong discreetly grabbed the glue stick.
With a blank face, his gaze was solely fixed on Kang Lim’s painting.
Kang Lim chuckled seeing Song Gijeong’s reaction.
It’s not surprising anymore.
“Why? Is it too well done?”
“I see you really took my advice to keep practicing your brush lines to heart…….”
Song Gijeong seemed slightly moved.
Maybe 50,000 won would have sufficed.
“But I didn’t practice recently when I drew this.”
“…….”
Song Gijeong hesitated for a moment with the glue stick, then struck Kang Lim’s head.
It was like a kendo stance.
“No wonder something felt off with the rain!”
“Argh, now that you mention it…….”
Kang Lim rubbed his head with his right hand.
Should have left the illusion as it was.
“Anyway, your ink wash paintings, which fill the blank space tightly, are still cunning.”
“It’s my trademark, it’s cool.”
“Yeah, your stuff is thick. Do as you like!”
“Yes, sir.”
“But why are you in such a hurry to mount this?”
“It’s going up on the K Auction this time.”
Song Gijeong’s eyes widened at Kang Lim’s answer.
It was the first time his work was hitting the market, so he had no idea how much it would sell for.
“…We have to do it right.”
“Of course, we need to do it right, why even say that…….”
“Cook the glue properly!”
“Yes, sir.”
Kang Lim was boiling wheat starch in a large pot.
Regular wheat flour paste contains a fatty substance called gluten, which makes it unusable.
Gluten turns the paper yellowish.
“Did you get the starch ratio right?”
“Yes, starch 1, water 2.8.”
“Then stir quickly.”
“Here we go!”
“…….”
Kang Lim rolled up his sleeves and stirred the stick so fast his hands were a blur.
After stirring the paste and boiling it on high heat for 10 minutes.
It reaches the perfect consistency for mounting.
“Ouch, hot hot!”
“Geez… always so dramatic.”
Kang Lim poured the boiled paste into cold water.
After cooling it completely, he strained it through a fine sieve to finish the mounting paste.
“Oh, I can tell by the texture. It’s good.”
Much more transparent and jelly-like compared to wheat flour paste.
Kang Lim poured the paste into a large dish and added three times the amount of water.
If the consistency is too thick, the thin ink wash paper will wrinkle.
“This is an old piece, right?”
“Of course.”
Song Gijeong sprayed the back of Uzookdo with a spray bottle.
Since the ink was completely dried, it didn’t smudge even when thoroughly soaked.
Next, he applied the paste meticulously on Uzookdo with a brush.
Meanwhile, Kang Lim slightly moistened the mounting paper.
“On the count of three, we’ll place the mounting paper.”
“Yes, sir.”
“We’ll brush it from the left with a dry brush. If it tears, it’s over!”
Water and paste made Uzookdo transparent.
The two gulped and carefully laid the large mounting paper over it.
They brushed it down smoothly like wallpapering.
Not a single bubble or wrinkle could form, and the paper had to stick perfectly.
“Whew, it’s done…….”
“Even after a long time, our hands sync well.”
Tap tap tap.
After attaching the paper, they tapped it with a hard finishing brush.
This allows the fine paste to seep into the fibers of the hanji.
Since the mounting paper is larger than the artwork, they applied a bit of paste around the edges and stuck it to an empty wall.
The next day, they gently scraped the edges with a knife…
The clean front without paste comes off.
“Ah, finally Photoshop is done. Mounting feels like digitally retouching the artwork.”
“What’s Photoshop?”
“Ha ha, never mind.”
Just like how X-ray images are clearer on a white background, transparent ink wash paintings become much sharper with white mounting paper behind.
Mounting strengthens the fragile paper and enhances the subtle and rich ink tones.
Kang Lim wrote down the residency address and handed it to his grandpa.
“Please fix the finished piece to a frame and send it here.”
“Alright! I’ll have Jiwoon take care of it when he comes, good job.”
“Yes, thank you.”
A 3-section Kent paper fixed to an easel.
The main subject is a large basket with three white chrysanthemums.
They are not completely inside but sticking out, creating an interesting rhythm.
The shadows of the flowers intertwined with the basket’s weave are special. You can almost feel the sunlight streaming through the window.
The sub-theme features a disposable aluminum plate with a brick on it.
The heavy brick crumples the aluminum plate, reflecting various forms.
In the background, shuttlecocks are scattered around.
Their shapes, visible from different angles, make the scene more dense.
“Just like you said, I placed the weak aluminum plate with the heavy brick to show their contrasting properties! You emphasized the importance of light, so I observed and drew all the shadows. I also untied the bundled shuttlecocks to depict them receding into the distance!”
“…….”
“What do you think! You’ve been silent since the drawing lessons! Is the tutoring over?”
Today is Seohee’s announcement day.
Seohee recreated her exam piece exactly and showed it to Kang Lim.
Waiting quietly for the results was too hard.
“Ah, teacher. Why aren’t you paying attention to me! Just looking at your phone!”
“Ha, I told you you’d definitely pass… don’t worry too much, just let me know if you’re the top.”
“Ugh, really?”
“Yes.”
Seohee constantly refreshed the page, checking the time.
Her body felt itchier than usual, scratching her arms all over.
Her chest also felt tight and uncomfortable.
Dadadadak.
Kang Lim frowned at Seohee biting her nails.
She wasn’t just restless; she kept doing it despite being told not to.
“I told you not to do that, you’ll hurt yourself. Why do you keep biting your skin?”
Seoyeon, who had been watching them, chimed in.
“Kang Lim.”
“Yeah.”
“You don’t do it either….”
One was staring at the computer, the other at the phone screen.
Both tapping their feet and biting their nails…
Kang Lim’s mouth was dry from swallowing frequently.
There had never been a moment more nerve-wracking than the announcement of college acceptance results and SAT scores.
Kang Lim calculated the possible outcomes if things went wrong.
Thinking about going back to the army made him feel faint.
He rubbed his slightly sweaty hands on his pants.
Still, it seemed a bit much to be so scared of not passing.
‘Ugh, if I get another chance at life, I can just do it again.’
He decided to think positively enough not to be disappointed.
5:00 PM sharp.
“Kiyoooyaah!”
Seohee, who succeeded in refreshing the page first, screamed.
It was clear she had passed.
But her scream was a bit long.
Sure enough, Seohee banged her head on the desk and said,
“Teacher! Waaah, I’m the top scorer!”
“What are you doing! You’ll hurt yourself!”
Seoyeon placed a cushion on the desk for her sister’s forehead.
Worried about her overly excited sister’s head.
Of course, there was someone more worried.
How could their announcement times be the same… it felt like fate’s prank.
“Kang Lim, what about you?”
Seoyeon turned around.
A pale face, eyes lost in focus.
Kang Lim was standing up from his chair.
A faint smile lingered on his lips, as if it might disappear.
“What is it… did it not go well?”
Seoyeon looked at the phone screen that had fallen from Kang Lim’s chair.
[30th Korean Fine Arts Exhibition Winners Announced]
Grand Prize - Kang Lim
At that moment, a primal scream was heard.
It sounded similar to Seohee’s earlier scream.
“Waaah!”
“Kyaa!”
In his joy, Kang Lim hugged Seoyeon.
He had a strong urge to share this joy with someone.
As if trying to hold on to happiness, he wrapped his arms around her.
His heart pounded, and he felt like his body was floating in zero gravity.
Seoyeon made the same expression as Kang Lim.
Her face and neck turned red from the tight hug, but she had no trouble breathing.
“What is this… why are you hugging when I’m the top scorer…?”
Seohee squinted her eyes between the two.
