[양승재, Seungjae Yang]A LIE

A LIE

A confession of one sculptor who formed figures in accordance with their inevitable raison d'etre -about the first private exhibition of sculptor Seungjae Yang 

In sculptor Yang’s works, the coexistence of realistic aspect, the compelling portrayal delicacy which makes the piece as if it is alive, and an expressionistic aspect like flows of emotions shown in the piece is present. And his work shows the emotional gaze of the artist facing the human body that has different emotions in accordance with the nature it is belonged to. 

The sculptor Yang tries to tell us about the fragility of human emotions of love between man and a woman in this exhibition with the title of “A Lie”. The art pieces especially draw our attention since it was blended with the artist’s own emotional changes that took place during 4 to 5 years of sculpting work, that is to say, the generation and extinction of emotions sublimated to an art. Here lies the sincere confession, and also a monologue of the artist which was visualized and blended with artist’s passions and pride, and also a memories and pains he went through in his life.   

Ever since Seungjae Yang first sculpted, he had this desire to fulfill the perfection and full depth of academic realistic expressions. Sculptor Yang, from childhood, has been growing in and with nature. And that is why he was enlightened of the fact that every living creature that exists in the nature actually is organically connected to each other. By this, sculptor Yang has the power to portray nature not intellectually, but according to his own intuition and feelings. He explains about his own work method of observing nature and connecting it to his works as follows:

“From my childhood days, 

it seemed like there are valid reasons of why every nature grows, 

for like grass or trees. 

Everything that seems to be very natural and spontaneous must have a reason. 

That is why my works should not stop at the point of imitating them, 

but it should be continued until it seems to be so natural to be in that position, 

and also until when the justification of existence is found. 

For me, sculpture is not only to seek simplified figures but also to express the deepest human’s inner feelings to their extremes. “

That may be a reason why his works are felt extremely realistic meanwhile also being expressive of passionate feelings. Especially, how he painted sculpture with colors of blood expressing human suffering, and how the color developments occurred naturally in the sculpture, suggest us the process of generation, extinction, and sublimation of human emotions.

In this exhibition, the artist unfolds his own stories with title “A Lie”. The artist considered this time as an opportunity to re-establish his identity as a sculptor as he sculpts human body of pains and wounds undergone by love between man and a woman that was marked by commitment, faith, promises which soon change to hatred, betrayal and distrust. The “superior will”, which was modeled after the artist’s face, talks about the truth and lies of the world we are facing and also represents his own image as he grows up as one matured sculptor by expressing one body blended with natural existence and pursuit of ideality.

A man’s face portrayed by the charcoal in the background of a woman wearing a mask, distorted man’s body with one leg supporting a woman’s body, abandoned man suffering in pains-they all are reflection of sculptor’s own image, pains, and feelings. And at the same time, we find enthusiasm and affection of sculptor, who heals and purifies one’s pains and feelings by sublimating it to an art, for the creation.

Sculptor Seungjae Yang suggested a keyword, “A Lie” to the audience in this exhibition. The lies of love, the lies of the world we are facing, the lies of the words and feelings of human…Are the lies lies or truth? His sculptures that seem to advocate every traditional materials of sculpture are standing in front of us lying, and two-faced. A lie that was suggested by the artist makes us to raise a deep question of what the truths and lies existing inside us may really be.

Sukyung Jung (visiting professor of Incheon Catholic University, Art History, Ph.D.)