Whitestone Gallery Taipei is pleased to present Trace of Time, a solo exhibition by South Korean artist KIM Deok Han. This exhibition continues the theme of his previous solo show at Whitestone Gallery Beijing while introducing new works. It marks the artist’s second solo exhibition in Taipei. KIM Deok Han uses traditional east lacquer as his creative medium. Through a process of layering and stripping away, he creates works that merge the past and present on the same plane, capturing the passage of time and infusing his art with a sense of timeless spirituality.
KIM Deok Han: Trace of Time
Taipei
2024.08.31 - 10.05
2024
East lacquer on panel
110.0 × 100.0 × 4.5 cm
The classic publication on lacquer art, Xiushilu by Huang Cheng, written during the Ming Dynasty in China, states: "All workers create utensils, much like the creation of heaven and earth. Therefore, there are saints and gods, and they all rely on merit and law, so good work sharpens their tools. However, sharp tools are like the four seasons, and beautiful materials are like the five elements. When the four seasons are balanced, and the five elements are in harmony, things are born." This passage suggests that a craftsman's creation is akin to the creation of natural things, where the interaction of the four seasons and the five elements produces exquisite objects. This unity between nature and man requires the accumulation of craftsmanship, time, and the shaping of natural conditions. Beyond showcasing the profound aesthetics of lacquer art, it also embodies the creative spirit of artist KIM Deok Han, who uses lacquer as a key medium in his artistic approach.
KIM Deok Han begins by applying a thin layer of lacquer, followed by a blend of lacquer and clay. He then adds layers of pigments, which are gradually stripped away using sandpaper. This process allows the upper colors to remain while revealing the underlying layers. The lacquer embeds itself in the image, either settling into or wearing away to the bottom layers. Each work is created through an orderly process of repeated stacking and peeling, methodically entering a state of reflection and demonstrating the artist's meticulous attention to detail and repetition. KIM Deok Han believes that the present form is shaped by the overlapping records of the past. This process, which continually appears and disappears within the cycle of the universe, imbues the work with a sense of existential value. The layers of overlapping colors undergo multiple stages of persistent lacquering and polishing, ultimately blurring the boundaries and revealing pure, natural colors that project the brilliance of the work.
INTRODUCTION
KIM Deok Han was born in 1981 in Daegu, South Korea, and now lives and works in Seoul. He graduated from Paichai University with a BFA in Korean Traditional Lacquering Arts in 2009 and earned an MFA in Cultural Heritage Conservation and Management from Myungji University. KIM Deok Han is a certified Korean Cultural Heritage Repair Technician (Lacquer, Gold) by the Korean Cultural Heritage Administration and received the 2nd Incarnation Cultural Arts Foundation Art Award in 2019. His recent solo exhibitions include Trace of Time at Whitestone Gallery in Taipei and Beijing in 2024; Looking into Time with The Balvenie Whisky & Morphosis Architects at Treehouse Seongsu in Seoul, South Korea in 2023; and Journey Through the Veil of Time at Leeungno Museum in Daejeon, Sourh Korea in 2020. His work has been widely collected by institutions such as Gwangju Museum of Art, Parkseobo Foundation, Wooran Foundation, Art Center Nabi, and The Balvenie Korea.
Kim Deok Han has been working on the restoration of Buddha statues at temples for ten years. At a temple in Gyeongju, Korea, he discovered a 1,000-year-old Buddha statue that no one knew existed. When he peeled off the surface of the statue, he found that several layers of the statue had been stacked on top of each other like Russian nesting dolls to form a completely new statue and found inspiration for his work and began to think about "things you can't see if you don't look closely". Lacquer trees secrete resin to protect and heal their wounds. I hope that through the works made with this material, viewers will be able to reflect on their own lives and recognize their own hearts, and that the wounds in our lives will be healed.
For KIM Deok Han, lacquer is not just a simple paint; it's a material steeped in time. By adding pigments, KIM Deok Han crafts unique hues that encapsulate personal memories, emotions, and experiences, recording the present while evoking a sense of time and space.
ABOUT
KIM Deok Han: Trace of Time
2024.08.31 - 10.05
2024.08.31 - 10.05
TAIPEI
1F, No.1, Jihu Rd., Neihu Dist., Taipei City, 114, Taiwan (R.O.C)
Tel: +886 2 8751 1185
Fax: +886 2 8751 1175
Opening Hours: 11:00 - 19:00
Closed: Sunday, Monday, Public Holiday
Tel: +886 2 8751 1185
Fax: +886 2 8751 1175
Opening Hours: 11:00 - 19:00
Closed: Sunday, Monday, Public Holiday