Park Wunggyu, Dummy No.39 ~ 47 (Nine Pieces of the Dummy), 2019, ink on paper, each 200x68cm. Courtesy of the artist
Park Wunggyu’s (b.1987 in Suwon, lives and works in Yongin) practice dissects and deconstructs religious archetypes and rules. Rooted in Wunggyu’s mission to formalise attitudes towards negativity, his works confront religious motifs in their limitations, showing the artist’s desire to control the negative and the abject. Using various numerological systems that often also reference religious symbolism (such as the Holy Trinity, the 108 defilements, and the 12 Apostles), Wunggyu explores the dualities and ambivalences inherent in negativity. Wunggyu disrupts the traditional narrative of fragility in living forms by redefining them as 'rigid forms.' This concept has been meticulously codified through his original term, 'Dummy.' While challenging the canon of Korean traditional painting, Wunggyu's work also invites a reevaluation of our fundamental emotional and physiological reactions to our surroundings. He has recently showcased his works in solo exhibitions at institutions such as ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL (2023), Art Space Boan1 (2022), Onground2 (2018), Space Kneet (2017), and Cheongju Art Studio (2016). Additionally, his contributions have been acknowledged in group exhibitions at renowned institutions like the Ilmin Museum of Art (2023), Danwon Art Museum (2021), Art Sonje Center (2021), and Aram Art Museum (2019).
︎︎︎Exhibition