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LEE JAEHYOSOLO EXHIBITION

3 - 30 MAY 20127 MAY : ART TALK

PARK SEUNGMOSOLO EXHIBITION

7 - 28 JUNE 2012

JE BAAKSOLO EXHIBITION

2 - 25 AUGUST 2012

HONG SUNGCHULSOLO EXHIBITION

5 - 26 JULY 2012

GWON OSANGSOLO EXHIBITION

1 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2012

LEE KANGWOOKSOLO EXHIBITION

4 - 26 OCTOBER 2012

AHN CHULHYUNSOLO EXHIBITION

1 - 28 NOVEMBER 2012

LEE JINHANSOLO EXHIBITION

6 - 26 DECEMBER 2012

FOR FUTURE ART TALK SCHEDULE PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE : hadacontemporary.com The above schedule is subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.0121- 1110=112021 | wood (bamboo) | 210 x 210 x 66cm | 2012

HADA Contemporar y aims to cultivate the dialogue between the Far East and Europe by firmly positioning the ar t of each culture into the ar tistic hub of the other. It recognises the r ich histor y of ar t of both the countr y it inhabits and those it represents, showcasing established and emerging ar tists from the Far East with an emphasis on Korea. The often neglected diver sity of histor y, cultural tradition and impor tance of local integration between the countr ies dr ives HADA to nur ture ar tists in order to fur ther br idge unfamiliar terr itor ies. By cultivating the relationship between these dynamic arenas exoticisation can be exchanged for appreciation. The presence of HADA Contemporar y on Vyner Street offer s the oppor tunity to fur ther explore the conversation between a var iety of often estranged dialogues: that of ‘Far East’ and ‘West’ , ‘Tradition’ and ‘Conception’, ‘Them’ and ‘Context’ . A joint venture

established in 2010 on Albemar le Street in Mayfair by Tom Woo and Tony Pontone , the founder of Albemar le Galler y, London, HADA embraces the platform for emerging talent and progressive ar tistic thought Vyner Street has histor ically provided. The entrepreneur ial ism and vision that character ises the establishment of the London East End ar t scene , through the bold exploration of real and current exchanges of the wor ld and its individuals through the visual ar ts, continues with HADA Contemporar y. As the fir st East Asian ar t galler y on Vyner Street HADA represents the inescapably international and transient nature of society today.

ha:da:a productive suffix for creating verbs and adjectives from nouns in the Korean language

PROGRAMME SCHEDULE 2012 /13LEE JAEHYO3 - 30 MAY 2012ART TALK : 7 MAY

“Until recently, my work has been about combining wood with nails or steel bar s, integrating them into geometr ical shapes such as a sphere , a hemisphere or a cylinder. Whenever I do this, one of my troubles is keep nails and bolts out of sight. On the contrar y, I now put an emphasis only on nails. I dr ive countless nails into wood, bend them, gr ind them, and then burn the wood, making nails protrude and at the same time blackening its growth r ing and natural color. Then glitter ing metall ic nails on the black charcoal become ever more conspicuous.Through this process, I draw a picture on wood using nails. It may be those that make a hard l iving who make this wor ld a beautiful place . I cer tainly do not have the power to make it beautiful . I just hope to make those things that are seen beautiful . It may be a rusty bent nail . I f you take a close look at it , however, you’l l find how beautiful it is.”

- Lee Jaehyo

PARK SEUNGMO7 - 28 JUNEART TALK : TBC

Are you real! Are you existent!

Park Seungmo, l ike most of other traditional sculptors do, makes ‘models’ for his work.They range from ‘the human being’, to Buddha, head of Buddha, bike , rocking chair, saxophone,Venus, pump, plow, kettle , piano, charcoal stove , elephant, contrabass, etc .This var iety is not what is chosen according to the ar tist’s judgement in cer tain order. Rather, he introduces ever yday objects around him into his ar t wor ld. He makes no distinction between what is l ive and what isn’t; what is large and what is small ; and what makes sound and what doesn’t. All of them come from ‘the creature’.

- Kim Jong-gil l , Ar t Cr iticExplor ing of being real and being existent from the Zen perspective .

HONG SUNGCHUL5 - 26 JULYART TALK : TBC

Hong Sungchul, using var ious media and modern technology, prompts interaction and performance from his viewers. Communicating the deep desire for human contact within society, his works never fully reveal themselves initial ly and exude a ghostly quality whereby the visual sense is questioned.The viewer must abandon reliance on their eyes alone and use their bodies and voices to prompt cooperation with the work. Str ipping away the isolating exper ience traditionally encountered within ar t galler ies, Hong initiates a dialogue with and among viewers, insti l l ing the sense of community pr ised in Korean culture .

Hong’s current body of work revives his str ing concept – a visual representation of what ties humans together from the ear liest stage of l i fe – the umbilical chord.These str ings, upon which an image is pr inted, are staggered in his works and inter lace to reveal a final representation – one of suppor t or of loneliness.

JE BAAK2 - 25 AUGUSTART TALK : TBC

Ja Baak’s ar tistic practice centres on his spir itual practice of Zen Buddhism.The object or subject of attention is constantly shifted, sometimes deleted, to prompt the viewer to exper ience familiar scenes from altered perspectives.Transforming the ser ious into the comical, the familiar into the uncomfor table and the spectacular into the empty, Baak forces viewers into an introspection, developing the beginning of an ‘ inward eye’ whereby self-realisation and ultimately enlightenment can be attained in an unfamiliar way.

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I cer tainly do not have the power to make the wor ld beautiful . I just hope to make those things that are seen beautiful .

The organic constructions of Lee Jaehyo exude a breath-taking otherwor ldly splendour. Both pensive and dynamic , sti l l yet deafening, his works allow him to expose the often neglected intr insic beauty of his conventional subjects. His ‘common’ mater ials and forms of choice offer an immediate accessibil ity that defies any cultural, histor ical , intellectual or spir itual boundar y, seducing the audience to enter into its space and reacquaint themselves with the un-commonness of their existence . Yet in their abil ity to cross borders and seamlessly adapt to international landscapes, Lee’s practice remains specifically rooted in Korean ar tistic tradition to cultivate his exchange with the present.

0121- 1110=112029 | wood (oak) | var iable installation | 2012

Born in 1962 in South Korea, Lee Jaehyo emerged against the predominant wave of his contemporar ies whose ar t imitated Western modernist styles and movements of the ear ly twentieth centur y. Audiences have been quick to associate him with the concept of faktura of the Russian Constructivists active in the ear ly year s leading up to the Fir st Wor ld War (1914-18) and the Land Ar t movement of the United States that took shape in the 1960s and 70s. Faktura referred to the visual demonstration of distinct proper ties inherent to mater ials while the Land Ar t movement protested against the ar tificial ity and commercialisation of beauty. Lee’s works such as 0121-110=112027 reflect these pr imar y concerns of faktura and Land Ar t through the use of the timeless medium of wood. The pieces have been labor iously worked into a smooth and perfect column to reveal the str iking nuances of their growth

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r ings, tones and textures. However Lee also voices the pr imar y impor tance of upholding traditional Korean ar t in his work. Korean ar t stands out for the impor tance placed on the subtle mark of the ar tist while respecting the nature of the mater ials. The traditional Korean ar t genres of call igraphy, painting, ceramics, handicraft and architecture emphasise a strong emotional and spir itual tie to their native landscape expressed through rustic l ines, simple tones and unrestrained harmony. Lee’s wooden constructions are reminiscent of Korean traditional houses, hanok. Although hanok were built without the use of nails and Lee’s wooden sculptures rely heavily on metal fastenings, his work ingeniously embodies the structurally and aesthetically balanced fusion of straight l ines and cur ves, exposed r ibs and decorative surfaces that character ise hanok.The significance placed on structure and surface and the interplay between the media employed for each work reveals Lee’s constant interaction with his mater ials. Sculptures such as 0121-110=1111219 reverse the roles of the invisible structural nails and the visible wood exter ior. The nails r ise to the surface of the work, embedded into charcoaled wood and polished to an unexpected mesmer ising sheen. These constant exchanges between the seen and unseen, mater ial and immater ial , in Lee’s work uncover the synergy of ar tificial inter vention with natural evolution; an attr ibute of his relationship with both his mater ials and the development of his ar t. Lee’s commitment to presenting the ‘true’ nature of his media conveys a mutual respect between the

0121- 1110=112011| wood (branches) | 600 x 100 x 220 cm, 31 pieces | 2012

0121- 1110=1100315 | steel wire | 80 x 80 cm | 2011

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to their inher ited tradition. As curator Laurencina Farrant-Lee obser ves, these ar tists ‘possess strong emotional and spir itual ties to their native landscape and culture and draw from Korean aesthetics to sustain, complement and fur ther their contemporar y statement’ [1]. Lee’s works appear to l ive and breathe in the present through their creator’s abil ity to converse with the past and look forward, a respect that flows into the mater ials and beyond to the spectator.

- Jungeun Lee , Independent Writer

ar tist and his mater ials. Ever yday entities such as steel and wood metamorphose into new and unfamiliar identities through the ar tist’s inquisitive and reverent deconstruction of the mater ials. From the moment he walks into the forest or tool shop to encounter his collection of timber, stone or nails for his next creation, he allows these mater ials to speak to him, taking on the role of an instrument for their next incarnation. Painstakingly polished sl ices of wood and bent nails convey the beauty of the conventional and Lee maximises their pur ity through simple geometr ic forms. Such expressions are also seen in his recent sculpture 0121-1110-111041, built entirely of welded stainless steel cylindr ical tubes which possess an organic quality that appears to breathe l ife into, and uncover the beauty of, the industr ial mater ial and form.The immensity and flawlessness of nature that inspire Lee Jaehyo’s dialogues with his mater ials endow his sculpture with a universality that engages anyone who also dares to venture beyond surface and object. He stands amongst a select group of Korean contemporar y ar tists whose expression is deeply tied

0121- 1110=1111012 | wood (larch) | 86 x 86 x 22 cm | 2011

0121- 1110=111123 | wood (chestnut) | 118 x 118 x 38 cm | 2011

0121- 1110=112027 | wood (camell ia) | 32 x 32 x 270 cm | 2012

0121- 1110=1071212 | wood (fal len leaves) | 600 x 300 cm | 2007

[1] Laurencina Farrant-Lee , ‘Simply Beautiful Exhibition Concept’ , Lee Jaehyo. Simply Beautiful :

Breadth of Nature in Korean Contemporar y Ar t, CentrePasquAr t, Biel , 2006, n.p.

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PROGRAMME SCHEDULE 2012 /13GWON OSANG 1 - 28 SEPTEMBER 2012“Unless my life or environment changes significantly, I ’ l l probably stay pretty much the way I am. Of course my life has changed somewhat but I haven’t much in terms of the way I think. Some ar tists have a set style while others don’t. As for me, I became known for the photographic sculpture of Deodorant Type , and later people praised me for breaking away from that in The Flat. But from my perspective I don’t see any major change . People say that The Sculpture is a big shift , but l ittle has changed in the way I work. In the studio, I ’ve made them in paper mache and they’re easily moved about. But even for those ar tists who don’t have a defined style , we can sti l l recognize his work even when he works in different spaces.The work of a true ar tist wil l have that distinct feel of the ar tist. I , too, may change in the future but probably not to a great extent. Just as one’s constitution does not change so easily.” - Gwon Osang

LEE KANGWOOK 4 - 26 OCTOBER 2012Titling his works ‘ Invisible space’, Lee Kangwook beautifully champions two undetectable frontier s: endless space and restr icted space . Biological maps of human cells are fixed to the canvas through layers of var ious membranes – thin layers of gel and gouache – achieving the sl ick surface of hospital f loors. Over laid on these faint microscopic bodies, are floating celestial bodies, freely drawn and dotted with glitter ing matter. Employing abstraction on his large scale canvases, Lee addresses two opposing and yet balancing forces: the microscopic and the macroscopic .These major building blocks of our wor ld are not juxtaposed, but rather presented as complimentar y and universal forces that affect us each day. In these works, not only does Lee express what is commonly stated in Korea – that the body and ear th are one – but that the body and the universe are one .

AHN CHULHYUN 1 - 28 NOVEMBER 2012Korean ar tist Ahn Chulhyun creates sculptures uti l izing l ight, color, and il lusion as physical representations of his investigation of infinite space . Ahn’s interest in the gap between the conscious and subconscious compels him to construct i l lusionistic environments providing a space for contemplation. Ahn’s sculpture urges the viewer to consider man’s boundless abil ity for physical and spir itual travel while exploiting i l lusions of infinity and the poetics of emptiness. Chul-Hyun Ahn has translated geometr ic painting and the Zen practice of meditation into an ar t of l ight, space and technology. Ahn entices the viewer to look deeply into his frame of environments. His works create an optical and bodily i l lusion of infinity through apparent l imitless space .The notion of the void distinguishes his work amid the vast panoply of ways that ar tists have used light as a medium since the exper iments of the 1920’s and par ticular ly since the 1960’s.

KIM YOUNGHUN / HAN JISEOK / KIM HYUENJUN 3 - 30 JAN 2013Kim’s var iations in media involve installation work, video, digital media, and painting. It was following Kim’s return to Korea after numerous years in Europe we can see his return to painting and reconsideration of the loss of memories and feelings. Cloud Map and Beyond Future (2009) carr y the theme of Electronic Nostalgia.

Han Jiseok’s brushstrokes saturate the large canvases with wooded forests, swampy bogs, typography, and figures. Han por trays his deep thoughts, memories and psychosomatic exper iences through abstract expressionist practices to i l lustrate the sub-conscious and conscious in his rever ie of landscapes.

Kim Hyuen Jun’s works centre on value creation within ar t and society. Kim questions contemporar y notions of value in a commoditized society by focusing purely on the immater ial – packaging – that which is frequently gifted in society and regular ly discarded. His sculptures grant immediate wor th to uti l itar ian mater ials.

CHRISTINE SUN KIM 7 - 27 FEBRUARY 2013 (TBC)Korean-American ar tist Chr istine Sun Kim redefines sound through her individual l imitations. The ar tist, deaf since bir th, works to ‘reclaim sound’ through her use of installations, transducers, subwoofers, balloons, ink, street recordings, and performances. Following her ar tist residency in Ber lin (2008) she continues to challenge ideas and perceptions of sound, social norms, speech, and identity. Kim indicates sound being one of two things: ghost and currency – it exists and carr ies value in society, but she can’t see it . Her re-interpretation and re-appropr iation of the physicality of sound are rendered through her body movement performances and splatter ing of paint of subwoofers.

“It ’s a lot more interesting to explore a medium that I don’t have direct access to and yet has the most direct connection to society at large . . . Social norms surrounding sound are so deeply ingrained that, in a sense , our identities cannot be complete without it .” – Chr istine Sun Kim

MIN JUNGYEON 7 - 28 MARCH 2013Min Jungyeon was born with a natural aptitude of depicting her eccentr ic imagination inviting the onlookerto exper ience her surreal and intimate visions. Her beautifully created organic forms flow and inhabitthe imaginative spaces often together with her own figure or animals. Conveyed within the works is her interpretation of the relationship between fantasy and reality. Her paintings accommodate contradicting imager ies of turbulence and tranquil l ity, eccentr icity and authenticity, combined and successfully transferred on to canvas in a calm and believable way.

“This may ver y well be a reflection of my background. Born in Korea - a divided countr y - I l ive in France , and feel l ike I exist between two wor lds. In my daily l i fe , I often ser ve as a l ink of sor ts between members of the Korean community and other groups, and somehow, this interesting condition also reveals another side : the sense of being nowhere .That feeling has made its way into my paintings regardless of my intentions.” - Min Jungyeon

LUXURYLOGICO 4 - 26 APRIL 2013Luxur yLogico encompasses four Taiwanese ar tists, l iving and working in Taipei: Chang Kenghau, Chang Genghwa, Llunc Lin and Ken Chen. The diver se group, at times combined together with var ious performers, create work through the use of mechanics, computing, music , design, drama, l ighting, and photography. They associate their group to Transformers, a 27 year old histor ical toy machine that can transform itself into a car, aircraft or animal, which centers on two divided groups of warr ing robots. Their Solar works (2010) using recycled l ights, l ight stands, and lamps arranged into large orbs reflect an ar tificial sun joined together by computer technology and LED bulbs. The ar tists’ intention with Solar, to promote recycling, provides a strong reflection of their ideas on society, humanities and conventional technology.

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PARK SEUNGMO7 - 28 JUNE