What strikes viewers immediately in Min Tae-hong’s artwork, making them spellbound, are the many and diverse shades of paint (Obangsaek) that the artist uses to express his themes in abstract terms. To truly appreciate his uniquely inimitable art, viewers have to understand the painter’s inner being, especially his cultural and religious foundation.
Min has been known as “the painter of light” and for his love of using Obangsaek, the five colors that represent traditional Korean cultural objects — black, white, yellow, red and blue. He might even be the only painter in the world who uses his fingers, fingernails and nails to apply diverse colors on his canvases. The artist on his solo exhibit on June 7- June 17 at Gimpo Art Hall in Gimpo, Gyeonggi Province in commemoration for its second anniversary, Min made comments on the importance of light, he asked “where is the light coming from The light coming from outer space; the oozing light from deep inside; the light from deep inside the object; the light from the window of mind.” He said all this light is coming slowly from the darkness, widely spreading from inside to outside, showing all the things in universe. The light brightens, dew, air, the sky, soil, clouds, flowers, waves, elements, and even all the nuclei of atoms — and we meet things, nature and all organisms through this light. He said the mind’s eyes are opened in the meeting with all these things in the world, and the love that comes from deep inside the soul is detected.
Kumgang Mountain(II): 120 mm x 140 mm: Acrylic mixed media: 2015
In his writing about Min’s work, art critic Hong Kai, who holds a Ph.D. and is an honorary professor of Art and Language at the University of Foreign Studies in Seoul, said the painter’s landscape paintings of mountains in ink brush succeed in exhibiting Qi energy vibrating as a creative exemplification of the Aesthetics of Ghi-Seh. Min’s landscape painting is all about the intense and powerful emission of the Qi energy of mountains.
Painter Min is a graduate of Seoul Art High School and Seoul National University (ACP) and Hongik University Graduate School of Fine Arts.
He won various prestigious awards from famous arts exhibitions both at home and overseas, including the 2016 Presidential Champion Platinum Award and the 33rd Korea Contemporary Art Exhibition Contemporary Art Grand Prize.
Winning the grand prize in non-objectivity and the Contemporary Art Grand Prize in Korea Contemporary Art Contest organized by Korea Contemporary Culture Art Association two years ago, Min began to be recognized for his ability that has been growing over a long period of time. At last he was invited to the Salon Exhibition, where hundreds of people from all over the world participate every year. As everyone knows, the French National Art Association Salon Exhibition was created in Louvre Palace “square court” by Colbert, a prime minister under the reign of Louis XN in 1663 and then, was independent as a modern private exhibition from 1861 and has been handed down until now.
Igwasu Fall: 120 mm x 170 mm: Acrylic mixed media: 2015
Canal in the City: 120 mm x 120 mm: Acrylic mixed media: 2015
This event, celebrating its 152nd anniversary this year, boasts the longest history among Salon Exhibitions. It is held in December each year with the support of the French government and is famous for being held in Carrousel Gallery, which is located in the basement of the Louvre Museum on Rivoli Street, the center of Parisian culture. It is said that for this Salon Exhibition, the French National Art Association exhibits artwork that is recommended by representative art organizations of each country, as well as the works of artists selected through a rigorous screening process.
“Obangsaekgwa and Traces of Time,” Painter Min’s Contemporary Art Grand Prize work in 2012, portrays aesthetics through Obangsaek, Korea’s unique traditional colors, and presents a new creative methodology by painting with a wooden spoon and fingers, instead of a traditional brush. Min’s works expressed in such a way are assessed to show the universe’s most primitive life as a sign of non-material shape, such as clouds, wind and waves, said CEO Eom Gi-young of the Gyeonggi Cultural Foundation. Eom is a former anchor at MBC-TV.
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Painter Min Tae-hong stands with one of his paintings, Kumgang Mountain(II), in the background, on exhibit at Hanyong Y Gallery from June 7-19 this year. The painting over the cover: Kumgang Mountain(Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter): 120 mm x 160 mm: Acrylic mixed media: 2015. The winner of the Award of the Minister of the Culture, Sports and Tourism at the 2016 36th Korea Modern Fine Arts Grand Exhibition.
Min is a rare artist that makes use of painting techniques perfected in both the East and West, especially in abstract Obangsaek paintings. Obangsaek colors are the basis that make up the shapes and colors of all things in the universe.
“It is surprising that the combination of Obangsaek can make all the colors of the universe. I, who have been living abroad for a long time, pay tribute to painter Min Tae-hong’s passion to promote Korean K-Art,” said former U.N. Secretary-general Advisor Park Dong-seon in his tribute to the painter at the Louvre Museum.
Obangsaek abstract paintings well express emotional factors contained in Korea’s history and tradition. Ultimately, Obangsaek paintings start from the Oriental philosophy, yin and yang, as well as the Five Elements. It is a form of expression containing deep philosophical speculation expressing the creation and mystery of all things in the universe, and the harmony of nature. It is the speculative art of overcoming the conflict and confrontation of human society and pursuing unification and harmony.
“Also, Min’s work pursues human values, peace and co-existence. As a person who has the experience of participating in the Korean War, I witnessed the brutality and cruelty of war and have made multilateral efforts for international peace and war prevention. War is an act of destroying humanity. This year (2013) is the 60th truce anniversary of Korea. I support the efforts of the Korean people to achieve peaceful reunification through dialogue and exchange, cooperation and would like to show my honor,” commented Rep. Charles Rangel of the U.S. House of Representatives.
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