Celebrating The Exhibition of Hong¡¯s ¡°Abstract It¡±...

Do-sik Kim (Department of Philosophy, Konkuk University)

 

The subject I couldn't do the most was art, especially painting. When I was in school, art always received ¡®C¡¯ grade. ¡°If I was evaluated as ¡°beauty¡± in art, isn't that enough?¡± I remember spending my art class in school and providing myself comfort. In the meantime, there was a chance to go to an art museum and exhibition with occasional opportunities, but there weren't many experience to enjoy. In this sense, this article is not a criticism of Hong's work world, but rather a pure heart of an elementary school friend who applauds her exhibition.

Years ago, I had an experience as an art entrance director called ¡°Imagination and Expression¡±. I remember spending five hours in the exam room, not boring than I thought. Although I had no ability to evaluate the ¡°expression¡± of preliminary artists, their ¡°imagination¡± was similar to the philosophical thinking in a large context. After all, it is the same in that it is expressed as a philosophy and an art, throughout something by my head. The only difference is that the artist expresses it on the canvas, the composer does on the sheet music, and the philosopher like us does on the manuscript. In this sense, the work of an artist or philosopher is very close.

What did the artist, Hong intend to express inside through this exhibition? The subject of exhibition, 'Abstract It', comes to me in two main ways. First,'abstraction' is the work of extracting something from specific and individual things. Given that our experience is inherently individual and immediate, abstract work is about seeking and finding the reason beyond the empirical purpose. It is metaphysical in terms of exploring objects beyond the object of experience (beyond the meta). In this context, The art work of Hong is itself an object of experience and, on the other hand, the result of her abstract work is trying to find something beyond it. In other words, it means that her work is showing duality in itself, and I am thinking that if this is a factor that can help us to understand her works. A gesture that refuses to stay there while stepping into the real world! It would be connected to her life as well as to religion.

Second, it seems important that the title of this exhibition is not just 'abstract it' but command 'abstract it'. These works are not just objects of enjoy and contemplation, but a guide to living a cold and rigid reality. This is because these works strongly encourage us to participate in the work of 'abstractness'. The same goes for philosophy. The act of ¡®philosophy¡¯ has a greater meaning in our lives than the philosophy of understanding and thinking in theory. Philosophy is essentially practice, not speculation. The artist Hong is not only appreciating her work through 'Abstract It', but is also ordering it to be practiced in life. In this regard, it is necessary to ponder the content of the command, 'Abstract It'. It is to grasp the essence behind the exhibition and apply it to our lives through abstraction beyond what we have experienced through her works of art.

Even without understanding the details of her art work, the expression of celebrating the exhibition never diminishes. This is the privilege of being as a friend. However, for those with artistic sophistication, this exhibition will provide a more meaningful opportunity. So, if an old friend who has an unexpected feeling has regard this expectation, I expect her exhibition to be more meaningful to experts.