The works of the artist Yi Youjin at Wooson Gallery were among my favourite pieces from Art Basel Hong Kong OvR of 2021.
Born in Korea in 1983, the artist studied Korean painting at Sejong University before completing her training in Munich, where she currently lives and works, at the Akademie der Bildende Kunst under Günther Förg.
At the boundary of East and West, she has built her own world made of vigorous brushstrokes emerging from the void, contrasts of darkness/light, and an intuitive awareness of the spiritual in nature.
“When I was asked what was Korean in my work, I didn’t know the answer. So I made an effort to figure it out”, she said. “My answer is, the beauty of emptiness. The boldness is in the fact that it could seem unfinished. There is bravery in empty space. Also, the pose I use for painting is fundamental. I put the paper or canvas on the floor when I paint. Looking downwards does not allow any evaluation of the process.”
