"Regeneration of Life"

 

 

Jae-Kil Yoo 

Hongik Univ., Professor, Art Crtic

 

 

The main theme of works by Ae-Kyung Won is based on the concept of 'representation' and 'biomorphism'. She renews the subject that was abandoned by formalist modernism and shows representaion and biomorphism by overcoming the 'flatness' with the liberal expressions. This is not a mere artistic notion but the aspect of pluralism. She also recovers the narrativity. In particular, it is important to communicate with the internal and external world based on the representation that is development of the new style of expressionism as psychological representation.

 

Here, the sentiment(l'affecton) is highly related with the psychological representation. The meaning of sentiment within the biomorphism is similar to emotions or feelings. In philosophical terms, sentiment is towards inside, not outside, and searches for oneself. As part of the mental realms, it is the immaterial world. The concept of sentiment by Ae-Kyung Won is psychological representation aiming to life, not simple representative description. As sentimental artist, she creates unique images based on the comfort and composure, repetitive cycle of generation and regeneration, operant and sensible presentation of the nature. Sentimental biomorphism are described through psychological representations such as splendid colors and symbolic forms.

 

In the lastest paintings and installations of Ae-Kyung Won, we often see the motifs associated with flower; it looks like image of life. Contrarily, the cell images in the past are psychological representation; it proves the invisible life and energy with the sensible narrative rather than reification of object. The life that she longs to seek s the representation that stays alive in the mind and connects internal world to external. Although occasionally there is no specific message such as birth of life, her work is full of life because the canvas is ruled by sentimental expressions that make it vivid. It "breathing creature" or "work to respect and care for life", in other words, painting as psychological representation of life is the imaging expression of sentimental biomorphism.

 

Recently she experiments 'contact' and 'touch' matters with glasswork. Sense is revived on the plane, overcoming the psychological representation and illusion. This is not the visual phenomenon but touchable expression through real contact. Simple heart and sphere figures made by glass help to see the idea of representation and bimorphism from different point of view. Concretely, she symbolizes the form of life though glass, which is psychological work of material. The glasswork defines spiritual constructions illuminating or embracing life.

 

'Contact' and 'touch' matter become challenging formative work with glass as an intermediary. The new glasswork expands psychological representation and sentimental biomorphism, which were sought on plane. It is hard to predict how far she is going to enlarge and specialize, because glasswork is accompanied by technical problems and spatial restrictions, which might possibly minimize the effectiveness of subject. Yet, she wants to extend her won representative world and sentimental biomorphism within it.

 

Finally, 'regeneration' series is the psychological representation of life and empathizes the sentimental biomorphism. The configuration is much more simplified by the visualization of flatness and leads us to a new meaning with the new interpretation of theme and narrative. In terms of context, psychological representation and sentimental biomorphism are focused on the investigation about the nature of life and human beings and various plastic changes extending to two and three dimensions. Certainly, it is hard to evaluate the nature of life and human beings and various plastic changes extending to two and three dimensions. Certainly, it is hard to evaluate the results of experiments and studies by Won, however, her psychological representation and advocacy of the sentimental biomorphism are evaluated successful by its unique narrative of subject and vivid expressions. Consequently, these elements make us expect her new challenges with the continuity, movement, contact and touchable expreesion.