Bae Young-whan, conceptualist who used K-pop lyrics in art, dies at 56

Bae Young-whan, a South Korean artist celebrated for his fusion of conceptual art with K-pop lyrics and everyday materials, has passed away. He was born in 1969 and initially engaged with the Minjung political art movement before turning his attention to personal experiences. His series, Pop Songs, featured lyrics from K-pop hits of the 1980s and 1990s, crafted using found items such as dried petals, pills, cotton balls, and bottle caps on canvas. In his piece Youth, he creatively arranged pills and cotton to form song lyrics. Bae represented South Korea at the 51st Venice Biennale, showcasing Anxiety—Seoul 5:30 P.M. (2012/2024), which combined recordings from twelve temples in Seoul with chimes from Venice. His work has been exhibited in prestigious venues, including the Seoul Museum of Art (2018) and the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York (2009).