Kim Tschang-Yeul, Waterdrops (1985). Oil on canvas. 50 x 50 x 1.5 cm. © Kim Tschang-Yeul. Courtesy the artist and Almine Rech.
ASIA NOW ran from 21 October to 7 November 2020. One of our highlights from the previews is this Kim Tschang-Yeul painting exhibited with Almine Rech.
Korean artist Kim Tschang-Yeul is internationally renowned for his abstract paintings depicting exquisitely detailed and perfectly formed drops of water. These droplets are depicted in a moment of equilibrium, whilst reminding us of the fragility of our existence.
Kim's family fled Communist North Korea when he was a young boy, and he was to later fight in the civil war from 1950 to 1953, which left an indelible mark on his practice. As he remarked in his conversation with Vivian Chui, 'I wanted to break away from the experience of the war. When I discovered the water drop, I thought I had found a playing ground that could be my own.'
Over the course of several decades living in Seoul, New York, and Paris, Kim Tschang-Yeul developed a precise, contemplative abstract style that moves far beyond the immediacy of hyperrealist trompe l'oeil effects, revealing a powerfully meditative atmosphere. The end result is long lasting and universal in its scope.
