Korean landscape, digitized

Whang In-kie's "Pla Mountain 09-188" (2009) / Courtesy of the artist

Whang In-kie explores vanity of life

This is the 10th in a series of interviews with notable artists recommended by the Korean Artist Project, an online platform promoting Korean art. — ED.

By Kwon Mee-yoo

A large canvas features a traditional Korean landscape in red and black. At first glance, it might look like another modern reproduction of a traditional landscape painting, but when examined closely, its embossed surface comes from plastic blocks attached to a digitized image on the canvas. It presents a new angle to view spectacular but hackneyed traditional landscape paintings. This is part of Korean artist Whang In-kie's "Digital Landscape" series.

Born in 1951 in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, Whang did not steer himself into the art world at first. He entered the engineering school at Seoul National University to study applied physics, but quit and re-entered the same university's College of Fine Arts instead.

Whang In-kie's "Dream Journey — Hallucination" / Courtesy of the artist

"I had doubts about my university education as people go to university to earn money with what they learn from there, not for academic purposes. I didn't want to become rich; rather I wanted to know more about the world," Whang said at an interview with The Korea Times. "I found art more engaging as I created something new."

Whang began the "Digital Landscape" series around 2000.

"My art begins from my life, and the art comes back to my life. After growing up in Chungju for the first decade of my life, I lived in Seoul for 15 years before moving to New York City, staying there for 11 years. I returned to Seoul for 10 years and finally settled here in Okcheon, North Chungcheong Province some 20 years ago," Whang said. "As I live in an almost entirely secluded rural area, my life became more relevant to nature and it influenced my art."

Whang works with various materials such as Swarovski crystals, silicon and rivets in addition to plastic blocks. He first transforms his own landscape paintings or Korean classic landscapes such as Gyeomjae Jeong Seon (1676-1759)'s "Geumgang jeondo" (1734) into digital pixels, which is the smallest addressable element in digital imaging.

Artist Whang In-kie sits in front of his artwork. / Courtesy of the artist

The artist said he "interprets" the classic landscapes, "I work with traditional landscape paintings because what I feel from nature wouldn't be much different from my ancestors' inspiration from nature. In the past, they only had paper and ink, so they painted ink-and-wash paintings," Whang said. "I live in the 21st century and work with the available materials, though I share similar thoughts toward nature."

Whang puts industrial ready-made materials onto his paintings, adding a new layer both physically and internally.

"I pick the materials based on their characteristics. It should be in units and available for repeatable acts. I choose them instinctively, but later I find a connection. Plastic blocks are superficial — they are shiny and smooth, but far from elegant or profound, just like thick make-up on an entertainer. Crystals are similar, too."

Whang In-kie's "Today That Will Be Yesterday by Tomorrow" (2014) featuring Louis Vuitton bags.

His works reflect changes in attitudes toward nature. "In the past, people were more environment-friendly with some fear of nature. However, nature has become something to be conquered in modern times. My works take a rather humorous attitude toward nature," the artist said. "That is why I interpret traditional landscapes by master painters such as Jeong Seon, as if I'm having a drink with him."

While continuing his large-scale digital landscape works, Whang embarked on a new series titled "Today That Will Be Yesterday by Tomorrow" around 2011.

"To begin with, I doubted the sweet temptation of a great future. So I contemplated extinction, which resulted in the new series," he said.

Whang's critical attitude toward consumption culture is portrayed in a piece of "Today That Will Be Yesterday by Tomorrow," which features 44 Louis Vuitton speedy bags, contaminated or torn and hung on hooks.

"The Louis Vuitton bags are so popular and even nicknamed a "three-second-bag" in Korea, which means they are seen on the street every three seconds. People don't buy it because they like it, but everybody else has it. This lack of independence should be discussed in Korea now."

Whang In-kie's "Today That Will Be Yesterday by Tomorrow" (2015) on display at Wumin Art Center in Cheongju, through June 13.

At his solo exhibition "A Journey After, a Journey Before" currently underway at the Wumin Art Center in Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, Whang presents a new installation from the "Today That Will Be Yesterday by Tomorrow" series.

Perishable objects such as twigs and luxury bags, as well as colored lights, are located in plastic houses installed in dark rooms. With narration reciting Konrad Lorenz's "Civilized Man's Eight Deadly Sins," the piece tells Whang's perception of life which turns to dust and ashes.

Whang said all of his works are intimately connected to one another, though they might seem to be conflicting. "All of my works have the same context. My earlier works reflect my thoughts on nature and that interest in nature spawned a skeptical perspective toward civilization, which inspired more recent pieces," Whang said. "Some people might see the two series split, but they all stick to one theme in me."

For more information, visit www.koreanartistproject.com.