Yi Yi Jeong-eun: Being Zen

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Ora-Ora is pleased to present the second solo show by Korean artist Yi Yi Jeong-eun in Hong Kong. The exhibition will open at Ora-Ora in Tai Kwun on 21 November 2024 and is titled: Being Zen.

Yi Yi Jeong-eun’s new artworks explore her deep affection for the outdoors in a philosophical direction, interpreting landscapes through the prism of Zen thought and principles. What results is a world view which is simultaneously psychological and resolutely earthly, a layered exposition of the world around us as seen through a productive process of introspection.

The layered application of fresh-hued paint creates canvases which border on sculpture. Engagement with form and image imparts differing perspectives from near and afar. They bristle with vivid depth, lavish topography and a robust textural experience. The radiance and energy of her artworks affords an astute collaboration between the harmonies of figuration and the revelatory insights of the abstract.

In There, the Sunrise and the Sea_202008, Yi Yi Jeong-eun’s robust, impasto brushwork creates a layered, almost sculptural surface, evoking the ever-changing rhythms of nature. Vibrant shades of orange and pink intertwine with shimmering blues, mirroring the harmonious union of sky and sea. This work is a celebration of the majesty and transience of the natural world, inviting the viewer to meditate on their own place within the great cycle of life.

Similarly, in There, On Being Alive, Red Flowers_202249, Yi Yi Jeong-eun’s dynamic brushstrokes come together in a lush, evocative landscape. Broad swaths of emerald green grass contrast with a rich, raspberry-toned floral backdrop, creating a sense of depth and movement. The artist’s mastery of the impasto technique imbues the canvas with a tactile, almost sculptural quality, allowing the viewer to engage with the work on a sensory level. This piece radiates the joys and glories of the natural world, drawing the viewer into its fleeting, ever-changing beauty.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Yi Yi Jeong-eun was born in Suwon, South Korea in 1977. She received her bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from Seoul National University in 2005, and her master’s from the same institution in 2009. She currently lives and works in Seoul.

Yi Yi Jeong-eun began by exploring the intriguing, pervasive landscape of the commercial world, navigating architecturally constructed ranks of goods in the manner of a cityscape, perceiving wares as buildings and spires. Piles of boxes became the skyline of a terrain which is as much physical as it is aspirational. In recent years, she has opened herself to the vastness of the world around us, with nature lying at the heart of her practice. As she describes it: “Nature is an object and location that allows me to most keenly sense the fact that I am one of the changing things. While I am a human being, nature helps me realize that I am also a living animal.” Yi Yi Jeong-eun’s artworks are imbued with colourful energy, and seek to radiate the joys, glories and transience of the natural world rather than pure figurative description. As such, she expresses “the spirit I sensed on the spot at that moment,” using animated brush strokes and robust matière.

Her previous solo exhibitions include: “The Hyman Gesture Towards Perfection” at Shinsegae Gallery, Seoul, “There, Breaking Through” at Print Bakery, Pangyo in Korea, and “On Being Alive” at Gallery Choi in Seoul (all 2022). Group exhibitions include Kiaf Seoul with Ora-Ora, “Wild Wild West” at mM Art Center, Pyeongtaek, South Korea (2023), “New Memories on Holiday at Artside Gallery and “All That Drawing” at Atertain Gallery, Seoul (both 2022). Her first solo exhibition at Ora-Ora was in 2023 titled “Alive, Alive, Oh!,” and “Being Zen” (Part I) is currently on show at Gana Art Center Space in Seoul. Her works have been collected by Keumyang International, Tesco Training Academy, LG, Woori Asset Management, Ujung Art Center among others.