Shin, Hang-Seop (art critic)

The morality of the realism painting does not stop at re-enacting the reality as it is visible to the eyes as is. Instead, it expresses the image of the period in question. It is based on the depicting as is, but it is necessary to pay attention to both the facts that are visible and the societal phenomena. Moreover, it is some times necessary to perceive the world with a new formative perspective because a creative artist cannot turn down the demand to see through new formative world. Kim Kyong-Yeoul’s recent work shows how realism painting countermeasures changes of the era. As it is understood, the 21st Century that we live in can be summarized as the age of electronic literacy. This is the digital era and the age of color that are symbolized with computer and Internet. His insightful artistic sense reacts sensitively to capture these periodical characteristics.

The Battle series that were started recently, are the output of new idea that resulted due to the combination of sensitive intellectual investigative mindset and aesthetic sensibility that traverse through digital era. The faces of the great artists and historical figures who transformed the world are combined with the elegant moves of the B-boy. This new formative language is the output of creative thinking. By seeing through the new cultural phenomenon of the new generation, which is the B-boy, he created portrait that is filled with acumen and jest. Moves made by B-boy that conjure up the image of circus are filled with vitality. Likewise, the faces of the artists who consolidated their position as historical figures are drawn as montage onto the body of the elegant new generation. Accordingly, dramatic visual effect is obtained. This conception induces intellectual pleasant sensation along with visual stimulation. That is, very refreshing intellectual delight and emotion are emitted. Moreover, B-boy’s moves are elongated abnormally or narrowed to paint distortion, and transformation to painting like image is taking place. As the body is elongated, viewers who are used to normal, every day form, are provided with visual experience that we cannot forecast at all. This formative distortion is possible by combining with computer.

Now that we think about it, we experienced indirectly, already with curved mirror. Computer maneuvering may distort the form of figures but same proportion is maintained, and thus breaking in which the symmetry and proportion are maintained does not happen. In other words, there is no impression of anxiety or strangeness as distortion takes place through normal proportion. Instead, merely emission of refreshing emotion along with intellectual enjoyment that induces the transformation of conception is experienced. Figures such as Michelangelo, Gogh, Picasso, Dali, Beethoven, Mozart, Einstein and other historical figures and Mona Lisa, Statue of David and others are invited. Their faces change in diverse ways in terms of movement and expression along the movement of the B-boy. Solemn, serious or agonizing looking faces are changing into the vital images filled with energy.

They become the portrait of our age that is with us instead of the figures in the stopped time, that is, the figures in the history. In this respect, he endowed new life into the figures in the history. Given the fact that B-boy has to have flexible body, be able to make dynamic moves, beautiful rhythm and high level techniques, his work comes as a very different kind of visual shock unlike the portraits of static image. Moreover, it is not an overstatement to say that the innovation of overlapping the faces of the artists and scientists whose faces shine with the creative inspiration onto the fierce image is the representation of the artistic mindset that traverses the mindset of this era and the aesthetic sense. Moreover, elegant and stimulating color images are adopted for the figures and background to respond to the symbolism of the color age. B-boy who represents the space for the freedom for the new generation and the famous creative artists and historical figures are brought out to the time and space called the modern. Likewise, the fact that these figures were brought out as vivid realistic figures is a very innovative idea. Furthermore, their faces are distorted and they are some what painting-like. However, there is no instance in which the great creativity of the historical figures becomes the target of ridicule.

These historical figures go beyond the time and space to share the space of vivid life of the energetic new generation people who decorate this era with vivid expressions. This is the awakening of historical fact and the expression of immense interest in the genre painting when it comes to realistic life. This is indeed the output of realistic mindset. As it is possible to deduce, contemporary art is very different from traditional art which is serious and solemn. Instead, it is characterized by vital, cheerful and some times innovative field of vision. Yes, this is right. Computer, speed and B-boy who is the cultural phenomenon of this age are substituted for the historical figures to unify into one formative concept, which are confirmed once again through witty aesthetic sensibility. He is entering into the center of the contemporary art’s mindset by re-interpreting the B-boy culture and the portrait of historical figures with free modern aesthetics.