Enseoul is pleased to present Every Bride Is Pretty, a solo exhibition with works by South Korean artist Hyeonkyeong You (b. 1985 KR). This exhibition is the artist’s first solo presentation with the gallery.
The exhibition Every Bride Is Pretty unveils You's distinctive approach to painting and perception, encompassing figures, objects, and landscapes. Her artworks defy easy categorisation such as portrait or still life, featuring expressive brushwork and abstract forms, even when depicting figurative subjects. Executed with minimal strokes, the paintings purposefully omit certain external features, fostering the illusion of swift execution while, in truth, demanding substantial amount of time and thorough observation. This intentional omission imbues the works with a sense of emptiness, yet the heavy colours and tones, rugged brushwork, and bold compositions maintain a tension between the artist and the objects.
The works brought together in this exhibition do not merely portray the exteriors of objects; instead, they invite viewers to contemplate their essence and project themselves within. Anyone can empathise with the figures presented in You’s paintings, whether it be The One in Difficulty or The Pretty Bride. When confronted with You's portrayal of “roads,” one can envision any path within their own mind. This approach places You's works on the ambiguous border between completion and incompletion, while allowing for deeper understanding of the objects. She believes that refraining from making subjective judgments based on appearance of an object encourages to better comprehend and to express its essence.
In this sense, Every Bride Is Pretty epitomises her ethos, prioritising dynamic and expressionistic gestures over conventional expression of bride’s beauty, challenging viewers to transcend mere appearances and pursue something inherent. You's empathetic portrayal in The One in Difficulty #2 also inspire audience to empathise with anxiety, failure, and frustration that the person in difficulty, must endure. The one chose to forge own path with dignity regardless of difficulties, rather than conforming to societal norms or becoming dependent on groups for comfort.
You meticulously ponders the conclusion of each piece, seeking a delicate equilibrium between restraint and immoderation before putting her brush down. Across all of the paintings in Every Bride Is Pretty, You implies her prolonged anticipation for the moment of completion, culminating in the collapse of boundaries between the object and the artist herself.
