The 3rd Anniversary Special Exhibition
Flowing Winds, Blowing Waves
9.4.2024-7.7.2024
Curated by Jisu Yoon

   The special exhibition Flowing Winds, Blowing Waves commemorating the 3rd anniversary of the Jeonnam Museum of Art, delves into aspects of both Eastern and Western aesthetics, aiming to explore their dynamic relationship. Through contradictory undertones such as ‘flowing winds’ and ‘blowing waves’ the exhibition seeks to maximize the energy that resonates between the two civilizations. The two civilizations have intertwined in the same way water flows or wind blows, but have sometimes influenced each other in completely different ways. This exhibition is intended to analyze the differences and commonalities between Eastern and Western artistic perspectives from various points of view such as ‘technique,’ ‘spirit,’ and ‘formative elements.’

 

The exhibition brings together works by 28 domestic and foreign artists on the themes of ‘reality and meaning,’ ‘emptying and filling’ and ‘balance and harmony.’ 

​   Part 1 touches on ‘nature and memory’ that connects the two civilizations through Western landscape paintings realistically reproducing the beauty of nature and Eastern landscape paintings reinterpreting the world beyond reality in a modern fashion.  

Eastern landscape painting leads us to an ideal world beyond reality. Artists enter the landscape directly and become one with nature. For them, nature is a real and ideal haven. This exhibition features artists who have reimagined traditional Eastern landscape paintings through a modern lens, rooted in Oriental philosophy. They showcase moments of stillness and movement in nature, scenes captured between imagination and actual memories. Western landscape paintings are mostly characterized by representing the scene as realistically as possible. Western painters sought to discover the existence and traces of God in the details of natural scenery. They perceive the relationships between color, light, pattern, and texture, integrating them into one picture for realistic expression. Their works invite viewers to immerse themselves in the power of light and color, bridging the gap between reality and the ideal.The viewer’s perspective on Eastern and Western landscapes is subjective, offering glimpses of both reality and desired utopias. These landscapes evoke personal memories and experiences, inviting viewers to immerse themselves in the scenery. As we engage with the artwork, we become travelers navigating through the landscape, creating a connection between past memories and present moments. Abstract art is typically defined by its freedom from representational forms, allowing for boundless creativity and beauty that transcends conventional imagery.

 

   Part 2 examines Eastern abstraction engendering a dynamic balance between spaces through blank space and Western abstraction harmonizing geometric forms and colors, from the aesthetic perspective of ‘emptying and filling.’  Although Eastern abstract painting has been pigeonholed as a derivative of Western abstract painting, Oriental painters have consistently emphasized the importance of Eastern thought in creative consciousness, formal expression, and aesthetic thinking. They have diligently cultivated new abstract paintings by incorporating traditional elements like empty space, calligraphy, and Zen principles into their work, blending their unique spirit and technique.In particular, they bring about a sense of balance, harmony, and rhythm by employing blank space to create a dynamic balance between spaces. This represents ‘inaction’ or ‘action without intention’ in Eastern aesthetics, and is expressed through the beauty and power of simplicity.
The beginning of Western abstraction was to pare the scene down to the relationships between lines, planes, shapes, and colors. It has since advanced in diverse forms. This exhibition displays the works of artists who seek harmony in the scenes crammed with geometric shapes and colors. The visual space reflecting the unconscious conveys the artist’s emotions and ideas through the rhythm of shapes and the arrangement of showy colors while the interaction of shapes brings about a captivating visual experience. As such, abstract painting keeps connecting us with something inexplicable in an objective reality. It brings out something deep inside that extends beyond visible reality, and continues to inspire and challenge as what art is.

   Part 3 showcases the fusion and harmony between Eastern and Western culture and history, tradition and modernity, and genres, exhibiting works by artists who discovered commonalities between the philosophies and cultures of the two civilizations. Art is a universal language that transcends cultural boundaries, and artistic  language facilitates connection. Part 3 features works by artists who have sought fusion and harmony between East and West, tradition and modernity, and different artistic genres. Fusion serves as a gateway to explore diverse perspectives and uncover the essence of contemporary artistic practices. Participating artists convey messages at the intersection of Eastern and Western cultures, showcasing their ability to find common ground between diverse philosophies and traditions. Central to their art is the exploration of human existence and life, as well as the sharing of values such as harmony with nature. Their exploration of the interrelationship between Eastern and Western philosophies and influences goes beyond mere inspiration and serves as a catalyst for personal change. By blending the two worlds, they demonstrate how they can transcend time and space while embracing their unique identities.

   This juxtaposition of East and West allows us to raise several questions: ‘Who influenced whom?’, ‘Where did it begin?’ and ‘Can the East become the West and vice versa?’ In response, the artists offer a series of clues. They suggest that the two cultures are gradually merging in line with the global, inclusive, and multi-layered nature of art, and that human sensibility and identity are in a constant state of flux. The clue they provide isn’t the starting point where ‘wind’ and ‘wave’ originate, but rather the intersecting point. While their beginning and end remain unknown, they remind us that they always converge. Consequently, the two worlds meet at the lunar horizon and find a balance, inevitably influencing each other. It is hoped that visitors to the exhibition will experience the energy and harmony emanating from the encounter of East and West, and discover universal values that transcend time and space by the time they leave the venue.