Hyun-Sook Song's Berlin Exhibition Explores Memory Through Objects
Hyun-Sook Song's inaugural solo exhibition at Sprüth Magers in Berlin showcases seven expansive paintings created between 2009 and 2021, running until 26 March. The artist, who emigrated from South Korea to West Germany at the age of twenty, portrays mysterious wooden posts or branches in shades of burnt umber set against neutral backdrops. Each piece is titled according to the number of brushstrokes, highlighting her focus on the material process. Born in 1952 in Chŏlla, she was influenced by the Gwangju uprising, supporting exiled dissidents and advocating for the rights of Korean nurses. Her works, some produced during the COVID-19 lockdowns, reflect on themes of life and death, drawing from her agrarian upbringing and matrilineal heritage.
Key facts
- Hyun-Sook Song's first solo exhibition at Sprüth Magers, Berlin features seven paintings from 2009-2021
- The exhibition runs through 26 March
- Song was born in 1952 in Chŏlla province, South Korea
- She emigrated to West Germany at age twenty and studied at the University of Fine Arts in Hamburg
- Song uses egg tempera, blending Western medieval techniques with East Asian calligraphy
- Her paintings depict childhood objects like wooden posts and fabric strips
- Song was politically active, aiding exiled South Korean dissidents in Germany
- Several works were created during COVID-19 lockdowns
Entities
Artists
- Hyun-Sook Song
- Byung-Chul Han
- Jochen Hiltmann
- Han Kang
Institutions
- Sprüth Magers
- University of Fine Arts in Hamburg
- ArtReview
- Courtauld Institute of Art
- University of London
- Koreanische Frauengruppe
Locations
- Berlin
- Germany
- South Korea
- Chŏlla province
- Gwangju
- Hamburg
- London