Yun Hyong-keun
Kyung-Sung Lee, 1991
* originally from the exhibition catalog of
Yun Hyong-keun's solo exhibition
held at Inkong Gallery, Seoul, 1989
** English version from Working with Nature: Contemporary Art from Korea Tate Gallery Liverpool, 1992, p35
The 'Yellow Zone' refers to the area created by the so-called Yellow Wind which originates in the Gobi Desert in Central Asia and rushes through the Pacific region, including Japan and Korea. This phenomenon has defined a region of Asia, which has its own cultural territory. The area is called the 'Yellow Zone' because the fierce wind transports nature's earth particles southeasterly and paints everything the colour of earth. Oriental culture and spirit blossomed on this fertile land. The Oriental spirit encompasses the various cultural identities of the three major countries in the Far East: China, Korea, and Japan.
Using only Burnt Umber and Ultramarine, Yun Hyong-keun harmonizes his pigments with the natural colour of the canvas. The results come close to Chinese ink brush paintings. The artist's colours are a symbolic depiction of the earth; umber represents earth, and blue the ocean. The balance of these colours varies according to the nature of the canvas, whether it is cotton, linen, or paper. It is noticeable that Yun's paintings contain no 'form' in the strict definition of the word. On the other hand, one can argue that a sense of form is created by the yellow-brown colour that cuts the plane horizontally and vertically, selecting and dividing the space. The crucial element in Yun's art, however, is not the concept of space, but the concept of time. (...)
Yun Hyong-keun's paintings will forever remain as evidence of ‘being', in time and space, a living existence that changes face with the passage of time. Some criticize this evolution in his work as a weakness; however, this very transformation makes his art most interesting and unique. The two powerful black columns boldly slashing the canvas will gradually come together to form a monolithic column. The stretch of time as these two become one is the evidence of life, and may be Yun's ultimate philosophy of nature and art.
© 2023 THE ESTATE OF YUN HYONG-KEUN