T R A N S C E N D I N G M A T T E R

YOO BONG SANG | SEO YOUNG-DEOK | LEE GIL RAE

T R A N S C E N D I N G M A T T E R

YOO BONG SANG | SEO YOUNG-DEOK | LEE GIL RAE

2 2 / 0 3 – 1 2 / 0 4 / 2 0 1 8

Transcending Matter is a mixed exhibition curated by Opera Gallery Hong

Kong around recent works by three Korean artists: Yoo Bong Sang, Seo

Young-Deok and Lee Gil Rae. These artists share the common, perplexingly

intricate, usage of heavy metal within the creation of their artworks, the

results of which defy the properties of the base element. Seo Young-Deok

uses steel chain, Yoo Bong Sang uses nails and Lee Gil Rae's predilection is

for wrought copper. In contradiction however, are the ephemeral subjects

that they each choose to evoke, which include a range of natural forms,

from trees to the human body.

Yoo Bong Sang is the master of light. He guides light to shimmer and dance

on the surface of his representational wall based art works made of a relief

of thousands and thousands of nails pierced in to a support. Seo Young-

Deok imprisons space within metal chain to create volume and form. His

sculptures often represent anonymous and stylised human archetypes

that are extremely expressive and sensitive, rendered as if captured mid-

breath in transition. Lee Gil Rae's welded copper trees, reflect back to us a

symbolic world, where we are also reminded of more pertinent ecological

concerns. Lee uses a multitude of hand wrought metallic rings to render

vegetal forms, bringing to life the inert material through intricate assembly

of form and the ensuing play of shadows and light that they create.

In each case, these three artists are indisputable masters of their

idiosyncratic art form and each demonstrate with unparalleled dexterity

and technique how to shape matter so that it goes beyond its initial

properties in order to express a wider concern. Through their artistic

calling, the physical limits of the media are stretched, symbolism is added

and a vision is presented that transcends matter.

It is with delight and pleasure that we bring you this exhibition of

outstanding works from these three extraordinary contemporary artists

Gilles Dyan

Chairman and Founder of Opera Gallery Group

Sharlane Foo

Director of Opera Gallery Hong Kong

P R E FA C E

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L E E G I L R A E ( B . 1 9 6 1 )

Lee Gil Rae was born in Yeongam-gun, South Korea in 1961.

He graduated with bachelor and masters degrees in fine art

and sculpture from Kyunghee University in Seoul, Korea. For

the past twenty years, Lee has followed nature as his muse,

crafting intricate, organic, tree-form sculptures from steel

and copper pipes, in response to continued deforestation,

depletion of natural resources and environment crisis. Lee

Gil Rae's trees are made with permanence in mind. They have

become an artificial simulation of nature, urbanised and

visionary, transforming the physical properties of plant life

into modern, mechanical forms. Lee Gil Rae has participated

in numerous exhibitions worldwide and features in numerous

private and public collections.

4

Pine Tree , 2016

W e l d e d c o p p e r

115 x 83 x 25 cm I 45 .3 x 32 .7 x 9 .8 in

7

8

Old P ine Tree , 2015

Welded copper

212 x 170 x 20 cm I 83 .5 x 66 .9 x 7 .9 in

11

Above

Pine Tree , 2013

Welded copper

110 x 104 x 7 cm I 43 .3 x 41 x 2 .8 in

Lef t

Human Shaped P ine Tree , 2015

Welded copper

200 x 80 x 73 cm I 78 .7 x 31 .5 x 28 .7 in

13

Pine Tree , 2013

Welded copper

210 x 1 15 x 59 cm I 82 .7 x 45 .3 x 23 .2 in

S E O YO U N G D E OK ( B . 1 9 8 3 )

Born in 1983 in Korea, Seo Young-Deok graduated from the department

of Environmental Sculpture at the University of Seoul in 2009 and gained

prominence through his sculptural exploration of the human form through

unconventional materials such as metal chain, a material that has been

critical to the development of the modern world and Korea's manufacturing

industry. Inspired by his own rural upbringing in contrast to his urban

adult life, Seo Young-Deok’s use of chain questions the industrialization

of labor that has become synonymous with today’s human condition. Each

iron piece is welded together to become a part of the dynamic system of

organic connectivity exhibited under human forms; while the material may

be physically strong, its structural completeness is what exudes strength of

the human spirit. By constantly weighting the dichotomy between 'complete’

and ‘incomplete’ existence, Seo Young-Deok addresses the inevitable social

inequalities of the industrial system.

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16

Anguish 19 , 2015

Sta in less cha in

95 x 70 x 50 cm I 37 .4 x 27 .6 x 19 .7 in

Edi t ion of 8

Anguish 14 , 2013

I ron cha in

75 x 45 x 65 cm I 29 .5 x 17 .7 x 25 .6 in

Edi t ion of 8

18

Meditat ion 19 , 2015

I ron cha in

100 x 90 x 45 cm I 39 .4 x 35 .4 x 17 .8

Edi t ion of 8

20

Anguish 18 , 2013

Sta in less cha in

95 x 45 x 70 cm I 37 .4 x 17 .7 x 27 .6 in

Edi t ion of 8

22

Meditat ion 2 , 2009

I ron cha in

130 x 90 x 45 cm I 51 .2 x 35 .4 x 17 .7 in

Edi t ion of 8

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YO O B ON G S A N G ( B . 1 9 6 0 )

Yoo Bong Sang was born in Korea in 1960 where he still resides. He trained

at the Seoul National University after which he spent a number of years

living and working in France. Yoo's artworks combine the artist’s vision,

his own photography and a laborious process, which involves penetrating

a support of plywood on welded aluminium with thousands and thousands

of nails in order to create the pixels of an image. On average 300,000 pins

are used to create these perplexing and beguiling images. Yoo Bong Sang

was the recipient of the Pollock-Krasner Foundation Grant in 2001, and

has been featured in numerous solo exhibitions in museums and galleries

throughout Korea and Europe.

JEAN20170822, 2017

headless p ins and acry l ic on wood

60 x 120 cm I 23 .6 x 47 .2 in

28 29

HAN20170105, 2017

headless p ins and acry l ic on wood

80 x 200 cm I 31 .5 x 78 .7 in

YG20160816 , 2016

headless p ins and acry l ic on wood

47 x 120 cm I 18 .5 x 47 .2 in

J J20170808, 2017

headless p ins and acry l ic on wood

90 x 360 cm I 35 .4 x 141 .7 in33

CY20150917 , 2015

headless p ins and acry l ic on wood

50 x 120 cm I 19 .7 x 47 .235

KJ20130310, 2013

headless p ins and acry l ic on wood

150 x 200 cm I 59 x 78 .7 in

3736

CATH20120321 , 2012

nai ls and acry l ic on wood

150 x 100 cm I 59 x 39 .4 in

38

E20101001 , 2010

nai ls and acry l ic on wood

50 x 120 cm I 19 .7 x 47 .241

M20090510, 2009

nai ls and acry l ic on wood

110 x 300 cm I 43 .3 x 1 18 . 1 in43

M2004, 2004

charcoal powder and na i ls on wood

47 x 120 cm I 18 .5 x 47 .2 in45

We would like to thank the artists for their trust. We would also like to thank all our collectors for their kind support throughout the years.

Coordinators: Aurélie Heuzard, Lou Mo, Tom Masson

Photography: Courtesy of Opera Gallery and the artists

Cover: Yoo Bong Sang, M2004, 47 x 120 cm, 2004 (detail)

Published by Opera Gallery to coincide with the exhibition Transcending Matter, Hong Kong, March 23 - April 12, 2018

All rights reserved. Except for the purposes of review, no part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in

any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

W Place, 52 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong+ 852 2810 1208 | hkg@operagallery.com operagallery.com

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