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Lot Essay
Appearing for the first time in Christie's Hong Kong, Son Jang-Seob is one of the most highly recognised artists among his contemporaries in Korean. Son has extensively participated in exhibitions around the world and he is a recipient of numerous art awards including multiple prizes from the National Art Exhibition, Korea.
Son is most well recognized for his signature style of combining abstraction with traditional features of the Korean landscapes, reflecting his historical consciousness. During the 1970s, he had experimented with various forms of abstraction to avoid direct interpretation of realist portrayal, but still kept identifiable forms of representation.
The Sea Wave and Iron Fence (Lot 258) from 1990 and Attention to Moutain Taeba (Lot 257) of 1998, are representative examples which demonstrate his mature technique and styles of the 1990s. The isolated seascape across the fence of The Sea Wave and Iron Fence and the portrayal of a large tree in the centre of Attention to Moutain Taeba can be seen as symbols of the historical wounds and the political reality of Korea, the only divided country in the world. Starting from the 1980s, Son began to make a commentary on the reality of living in a divided nation, always painting in a poetic manner by using metaphors in landscape. These two works appear to be simple and rough upon first glance, however, with close examination, Son's dexterity of marvellous brush strokes and multiple layers of subtle colours reveal the delicate texture and a reserved yet powerful palette. The exquisite balance between abstraction and figurative illustrate his life-long journey of seeking his own artistic style.
Son is most well recognized for his signature style of combining abstraction with traditional features of the Korean landscapes, reflecting his historical consciousness. During the 1970s, he had experimented with various forms of abstraction to avoid direct interpretation of realist portrayal, but still kept identifiable forms of representation.
The Sea Wave and Iron Fence (Lot 258) from 1990 and Attention to Moutain Taeba (Lot 257) of 1998, are representative examples which demonstrate his mature technique and styles of the 1990s. The isolated seascape across the fence of The Sea Wave and Iron Fence and the portrayal of a large tree in the centre of Attention to Moutain Taeba can be seen as symbols of the historical wounds and the political reality of Korea, the only divided country in the world. Starting from the 1980s, Son began to make a commentary on the reality of living in a divided nation, always painting in a poetic manner by using metaphors in landscape. These two works appear to be simple and rough upon first glance, however, with close examination, Son's dexterity of marvellous brush strokes and multiple layers of subtle colours reveal the delicate texture and a reserved yet powerful palette. The exquisite balance between abstraction and figurative illustrate his life-long journey of seeking his own artistic style.