Artist Aaron Cossrow paints Tapgol Park's elderly culture

Aaron Cossrow poses in front of his painting, "The Guys of the Park," during his solo exhibition at Topgoal Art Museum, Sept. 25. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

American artist Aaron Cossrow is displaying some of his paintings of daily scenes in Seoul's streets for his solo exhibition, titled “The Guys of the Park” at Topgoal Art Museum near downtown Seoul's Insa-dong area.

Cossrow is well-known for painting with vivid colors the daily life of Seoul's working class, from the urban decay of downtown Seoul to Itaewon's lively alleys. From Sept. 22 to Oct. 22, his original canvases ― 21 in total ― are on display at the gallery.

On view are his paintings of elderly men hanging out around nearby Tapgol Park, the workers of a now-demolished industrial district in downtown Seoul's Euljiro, Itaewon dive bar Grand Ole Opry proprietor Kim Sam-sook, the landmark Itaewon Chicken Man and Mapo District's infamous but elusive "Makgeolli Man." The subjects of his paintings are seen at work or enjoying leisure time in a communal setting.

“I identify myself with down-to-earth hardworking people," Cossrow told The Korea Times. "I come from Philadelphia and I'm a normal person from a normal family, from a working-class city. These are the people that I connect with. I don't connect with fancy people trying to, you know, dress up and pretend like they're more than they are. I'm not into the flashy flash of the young generation of Korea. I like the old, hardworking people with that real flavor, that real Korean men, that culture. I'm into those real people. Real energy. It only comes from pain. Real spirit only comes from struggle and real life. I don't want to paint any soft people with the easy life and their pretty Instagram influential posts. That's not me. I want real people. When you're looking at someone, you can see it on their face, their smile, their hands, the clothes they wear, where they come from, the type of place they live, the type of job they have. It's full of energy and flavor and it's written in their character.”

While all the paintings on display have been made since 2021, the centerpiece of the exhibit, "The Guys of the Park," was painted earlier this year. It depicts a scene out the back gate of Tapgol Park, where aging men gather to play janggi, a Korean board game. Some of the men wear masks, including one man dressed in a tall "tongcheongwan" hat, the headgear of the 1897-1910 Korean Empire. Two men are in wheelchairs, and another sits on the sidewalk. Bottles of Korean alcohol lie around. Cossrow explained that the painting isn't merely a snapshot of the area, but more of a collage assembled over a longer period of observing various participants at different times there. The result brings out a heightened reality of the community.

On the morning of Sept. 25, Cossrow gave an artist talk for invited guests at the gallery. Afterwards, he led a small walk over to the nearby park, where he greeted the elderly men playing board games, just as seen in his painting. “So, this is their neighborhood," he said. "I named the exhibition after the people of the park, the people of this neighborhood. And I use it as a focal point to tell a larger story.”

Aaron Cossrow poses near Tapgol Park in downtown Seoul, Sept. 25. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

When asked why he focuses so often on senior citizens in his paintings, he explained, “I just think that the older people have so much more character, they're just more interesting. There's no complicated way to explain why I like older people of Korea more than I like younger people. It's because the older people are just more interesting. Their families, their clothes, their life, their work, their spirit. And plus, the very fact of people getting old is a story in themselves. They've lived a life and every piece of them talks. About their stories, just visually speaking, the people are way more full of character."

He expressed his appreciation to Topgoal Art Museum for the chance to exhibit his work in such a meaningful location connected with his work.

"The exhibition allows for a deeper understanding of the content and process of the work and adds to the meaning of the exhibition,” said Cossrow, who has lived in Korea for 12 years. “We all have to find something to give us a purpose. I found my purpose in documenting a community for the community. It’s my way of giving back, practicing the art and improving myself, while also contributing to society.”

Aaron Cossrow poses in front of Topgoal Art Museum, Sept. 25. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Topgoal Art Museum is located in the Seoul Senior Welfare Center, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year since its opening in 2013. It supports elderly people's enjoyment of culture and arts, culturally communicates with the community and other generations through art.

“From the perspective of an American artist, it contains the sentiments, lives and lively stories of Korean people, so it feels strange for some reason," said Hee Yu, a monk as well as director of Topgoal Art Museum. "I feel the meaning. Through this exhibition, senior citizens can transform their daily lives into works of art. It is a precious opportunity to meet with the elderly and share their daily lives and stories as a medium. I hope this will be an opportunity for all generations to increase their interest in the daily lives of the elderly.”

Visit cossrow.com for more information about the artist, or follow @topgoal.art on Instagram for details about the exhibition.

Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He's also co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative, and freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency.