Ryu Jae-chun (Class of '91, Art Education) Alumni Holds Solo Exhibition and Publishes a Book

- 'When Moonlight Flows, It Becomes a Painting.'

Our university alumnus, Ryu Jae-chun (Class of '91, Art Education), a representative artist in contemporary Korean landscape painting, will host a solo exhibition titled 'When Moonlight Flows, It Becomes a Painting' at the Seoul Jung-gu Cultural and Art Space, Sunhwadongcheon, starting from October 25th.

□ Ryu Jae-chun Writer / ㈜한길사 / 248pg / 50,000KRW

To coincide with the solo exhibition, Ryu has also published a book with the same title. The book features a collection of the artist's diverse works, artist notes, critiques from art experts, and interviews with journalists. In the book, the artist explains the origins of her life and work themes and contemplates the path Korean painting should take while striving to create the 'avant-garde of Korean painting.'

This book, 'When Moonlight Flows, It Becomes a Painting,' includes explanations in both Korean and English for anyone interested in Korean traditional painting (hwa) and K-Sumok (traditional ink and wash painting). It captures the contemporary and global aesthetic that seeks to revitalize traditional Korean painting that had been stuck in the past.

Ryu Jae-chun's signature motif is the large, bright moon. Art critic Ahn Hyun-jeong stated, "The moon of abundance has become Ryu Jae-chun," and Ryu Jae-chun's works "fill the world with happiness and positivity through the abundance-adorned artist's identity." The exceptionally large and radiant full moon, which fills the entire painting, is the sole light source that shines on the mountains below.

The book includes 105 pieces of Ryu Jae-chun's artwork, including her representative works 'Wolha' (Moonlight) and 'Muk-san.' These pieces encompass a series of three works: 'Natural Portraits,' 'Rock Flowers,' and 'Purple,' among others. The large book, measuring 20cm by 28cm, faithfully captures Ryu Jae-chun's art, conveying the vitality of the bountiful full moon and the natural elements beneath.

An alumnus of our university, Ryu, began to delve into true landscape ink and wash painting in her early twenties. She specialized in ink and wash landscape painting, using traditional paper and ink sticks, and completed her master's and doctoral degrees in the field. Her exploration took her to famous mountains like Mt. Geumgang and Huangshan in China, studying the philosophy and emotions of Eastern painting deeply embedded in nature. This experience led to her series 'Natural Portraits,' where she reimagined nature and explored the essence of traditional Korean painting. The artist claims that Korean painting is not just about pigments; it is about painting with personality, and she emphasizes that her foundation is rooted in nature, upon which she seeks to manifest the spirit of the times.

The solo exhibition will run from October 25th until February 1st of the following year."

Ryu Jae-chun Writer

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www.ryujaechun.com