Newly opened exhibition venue spaceD9 brings arts into resonance

Newly opened gallery spaceD9 has brought together works of distinctive artists from Korea and abroad for its inaugural exhibition, “Resonant.”

“The gallery decided to name the exhibition ‘Resonant,’ in hopes that people and society could resonate through works of art,” said gallery director Na Yu-ri. SpaceD9’s “Resonant” exhibition initially took off as New York-based Hun Gallery’s “Resonant” series held between 2005 and 2009.

Sohn Jung-hee‘s ceramic sculpture, “Satyr” (spaceD9)

Located in the Bukchon Hanok Village, spaceD9 aims to bring different art works into playful chemistry in a place built in traditional Korean architectural style.

“Resonant,” which opened Wednesday, is a group exhibition featuring sculptor Sohn Jung-hee, painters Alessandra Levato and Dongze Huo, installation artist Lee Kyung-ho and visual artist Sarbani Ghosh.

Sohn is exhibiting several ceramic sculptures that present stark and somewhat grotesque human images. “I think people inherently carry bestial aspects within,” said Sohn. Sitting on the rooftop of hanok and hanging above the door entrance, Sohn’s sculptures make good use of the exhibition space.

Currently studying at Pratt Institute in New York, Alessandra Levato introduces oil paintings with her own tonality. For the exhibition at spaceD9, artist Lee Kyung-ho scaled down his previous work “Five Loaves of Bread and Two Fish” -- an installation work with biblical inspiration -- and designed it to invite people to join in the work’s surroundings.

The first installment of the opening exhibition will run through March 25. The second part of the opening exhibition will follow on March 28, showcasing works by Jos. A. Smith, Kate Leigh, Nick Lapole and Kim Seok-young.

The spaceD9’s exhibition space in Seoul is its second branch. The first opened in 2007 in New York.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)

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