'Orheim, Light of Life' exhibition with three generations 1 Favorite 

Practitioner: 

Date: 

May 28 2023

Location: 

Yesan, South Korea

[Translated by Google translator]

The exhibition 'Orheim, Light of Life', featuring three generations of a grandfather, daughter, and grandson, will be held at Gallery and Sapgyo near Sapgyo Station in Yesan County (South Korea) until the 17th of next month. Artists Lee Woon-sik (90), Lee Sunkyeong (57), and Han JunKyu (28) participated in the exhibition, and Han Seungkyoo (30) was in charge of planning. Artists from various genres, including sculpture, painting, and illustration, created a unique exhibition by creating synergy.

His maternal grandfather, artist Lee Woon-sik, was born in 1932 in Yeongbyeon, North Pyongan Province (North Korea), and graduated from the Department of Sculpture at Seoul National University College of Fine Arts. He served as the president of the Korean Sculptors Association, advisor to the National Art Exhibition, standing advisor to the Korean Sculptors Association, and advisor to the Korean Fine Arts Association. In 2002, he received the Presidential Award in the art category at the 34th Republic of Korea Culture and Arts Awards.

After suffering a stroke in 2011, artist Lee Woon-sik stopped his artistic activities and creations. His daughter Lee Sun-kyung and grandson Han JunKyu decided to hold an exhibition to preserve and continue his legacy of works he created throughout his life, including Dream, Love, Life, Family, Dialogue, Harmony, and Unification of the Nation.

The theme of the exhibition was set as love and harmony in the family's waiting, reflecting the wishes of these families, and the exhibition was opened with the appropriate titles, 'Orheim, the Light of Life' and 'Le_gacy (Legacy of Faith)'.

And when you enter Sapgyo, the first thing you see is Lee Woon-sik's 'Life', Lee Sunkyeong's 'Like a Flowing River', and Han JunKyu's 'Meteora', which are the most notable works in this exhibition.

Artist Lee Sunkyeong, who majored in visual design at Kangwon National University College of Arts and advertising design at Ewha Womans University Graduate School of Design, married the director of Han Man-bong Obstetrics and Gynecology, Han Man-bong, and moved to Hongseong, where she took a break for 25 years. Then, she met Professor Lee Sang-hyo of Hongik University and took on a challenge in a new field, painting, rather than design. Since abstract works are expressed only with abstract elements such as color, texture, and created shapes, they are characterized by being interpreted in various ways depending on the perspective of the person viewing the work.

The artist Lee said, “The work titled ‘Like a Running River’ is a work I drew after being deeply impressed by the movie ‘Like a Running River.’ Depending on the viewer, some may say it looks like a swamp, while others may say it looks like Monet’s water lilies.” She added, “I used a variety of tools and paints while preparing for this exhibition. Oil paint takes a long time, from six months to a year, to dry. It shows traces of layering.”

The work 'Meteora' by the grandson, artist Han JunKyu, is a work he drew after seeing a photo taken by his parents during their trip to Greece. With this work, he won the school representative award for 'Best artist in School for Town Hall meeting' in January last year.

The exhibition, which showcases the synergy of the three generations, will be held for the second time in Seoul and the third time in the United States, starting with this one. Artist Lee Sunkyeong said, “I hope that this exhibition will be a time and space for neighbors and visitors to embrace love, harmony, and dreams while waiting for their families.”

Reference : 홍성신문 내포타임즈(https://www.hsnews.co.kr)

External sources: 

https://www.hsnews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=115198
Posted by peter.han on Jan 27 2025

Staff rating: 

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Effectiveness

How does this project help?

Activates (people)Energizes and organizes people into action. Can include emotion work
Amplifies (issue or campaign)Brings public and political attention to an issue or campaign.  Can include prefigurative action, making the invisible visible.
Strengthens (community)Strengthens, builds and celebrates community through ritual and/or symbol.
Shifts (culture)Shifts the cultural landscape in order to imagine and enable change.

Timeframe For change

This project seems to be part of a campaign with a clear long-term goal. Long-term goals tend to be things like: end racism; end homophobia; make the sun stand still in the sky. A campaign with a long-term goal also needs to have some kind of theory of change.
As I organized the exhibition, I am building a theory of arts and peacebuilding in education--family-based arts peacebuilding--by synthesizing artworks from my family and my peace scholarship. This project was the beginning of my theory in South Korea.

Notes

This exhibition shared my family’s artistic legacy but also delivered the role of education to local communities in South Korea. Locals, especially women, were able to engage with my grandfather’s and my mother’s stories and how education changed my family’s past and created a new future. These experiences held me strong beliefs about the role of education and arts. More importantly, the exhibition demonstrated what mothers can do and how community-based education supports empowering individuals’ voices, especially those in rural areas.