Exhibition view of ‘Ha Chong-Hyun’ / Image courtesy of Kukje Gallery
The solo exhibition of Ha Chong-Hyun, known as a pioneer of Dansaekhwa (Korean monochrome paintings), was on show at Kukje Gallery until Mar. 13. The artist’s representative work is the Conjunction series which found first expression in the 1970s. This series of works employ an expressive method by which thick paint is applied on the back of thick linen cloth and pressed so that the colour comes out on the front side of the fabric. One can sense the colour and physical properties of paint through this technique. Since then, the Conjunction series has steadily evolved through multicolour effects and the construction of new techniques. While Ha mainly used simple colours reminiscent of roofing tiles or white porcelain in his previous series, he employed various colours in the new works to create a more modern feel. In Post-Conjunction, one finds a technique that applies the expression method of the existing series. Plywood is cut into thin straight lines of a specific size, and the pieces of wood are sequentially arranged on a canvas frame. Ha Chong-Hyun applies oil paint between the wood and rearranges them so that the colours emerge between the pieces of wood. It is like using paint instead of glue to join the wood. Adding a sculptural element to the plane to give it three-dimensionality lends consistency to the flow of the art world that has changed for the artist’s life, along with the new works of Conjunction. He is an artist who has steadily built his own visual language without limiting the possibilities of painting. The Conjunction series such as Conjunction 99-03 (1999) and Post-Conjunction series such as Post-Conjunction 21-201 (2021) were introduced at the same place for the first time throughout K1, K2 and K3 of the Kukje Gallery Seoul.