South Korean artist showcases realistic portraits in Delhi

Hiding Inside the Light, is a solo exhibition that showcases works of art of Kim Ho-suk, a leading artist from South Korea. This exhibition is curated in-house and organised by the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi (NGMA) and Korean Cultural Centre India, New Delhi (KCCI). It features works of art encompassing last four decades of Ho-suk’s practice. In this exhibition the artist presents works of art from the late 1970s to the present, including 30 new works which are on display for the first time at the NGMA. Through this exhibition an attempt has been made to portray Ho-suk’s journey of exploration of Korea. It presents key works from his series of portraits, landscapes, animal figures and scenes from daily life which are almost like research that provides an intimate understanding of the social, cultural and political aspects of Korean life.

Kim Ho-Suk’s realistic portraits of historical figures as well as common Koreans are striking in their subtlety and sensitivity. Respecting age-old customs and traditions of his land, the 59-year-old artist employs time-honoured painting techniques and materials such as handmade paper, and inks made of natural dyes.

Born in rural southwestern Korea in 1957, Kim Ho-suk’s works of art offers an illuminating insight into a life of an artist that reflects upon reciprocal affinities, progressive intellectual movements and role models that range from religious and political figures to farmers and vendors that captures the essence of homogeneous unitary pride of the populace in its heritage. His practice is an amalgam of the rich legacy of the land and its tumultuous modern history and reflects the role of the nation in flagging the importance of the past. It also portrays the role of the nation in institution building and the importance of people’s participation in matters of national pride. Ho-suk’s each series reflects his in-depth study, survey and understanding of his land and its people. His works are also a documentation of a generation between the 1950s to 1970s in Korea that believed in emphasizing on the cultural heritage as one of the most suited methods that would help the nation rise as a coherent powerful unit from the ravages heaped on it through relentless domination and war and they strongly felt a sense of responsibility to pass down a bright and conflict-free Korea to the future generations. Ho-Suk’s works respond to the greater public awareness about the importance to preserve Korean legacy in order to have their own identity and standing in the world.

The show is on view till 25 June