'Brick Artist' Kim Kang Yong, Invitation to Opening 'Gallery Chang'

Kim Kang Yong, Reality+Image 2301-2213, 132 x 99 cm, mixedmedia, 2023.

'Gallery Chang', established to promote Korean artists on Manhattan's 55th Street, will officially open its doors with a commemorative exhibition featuring the highly acclaimed brick painter Kim Kang Yong, on the 7th of next month.

Gallery director Jun-Hwan Chang, the founder of 'Gallery Chang', stated, "Through the opening of 'Gallery Chang', we will continue to serve as a cultural hub to introduce works of artists representing Korea to the world from New York, contributing to the global growth of the cultural industry and enhancing the national image."

Invited to this inaugural exhibition, Kim Kang Yong, known as the master of brick painting, has captivated audiences worldwide as a first-generation hyper-realism artist since the 1970s, gaining international recognition for his brick paintings.

Chloe Park, a senior curator of 'Gallery Chang', explained, "In Kim Kang Yong's solo exhibition 'MASTERPIECE (2019-2023)', the focus is on his recent works, including the sand-made brick series symbolizing him, and 'Reality + Image' works. New pieces from 2023 are also being unveiled." She further elaborated, "From the mid-1970s to the 1980s, he mainly painted monochromatic brick walls, but since the 2000s, he has transformed into colorful brick painting, surpassing reality with simplicity and color, once again showcasing his uniqueness. Recently, he has been hailed as the next-generation leader following the monochromatic master, Park Seo-bo."

Park continued, "His artistic realm, spanning from the first-generation hyperrealism to encompassing abstraction and monochrome, marks a significant milestone in Korean art history." She added, "His works have garnered significant acclaim among art collectors worldwide and are housed in institutions such as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul Museum of Art, and the Lévy Gorvy Art Foundation in LA. They are also actively traded in global art markets such as Sotheby's and Christie's."

[Source from THE KOREA DAILY press release, provided by Jongwon Park]