Do monsters bleed red?

 

It was a frenzied dream. As if the heavy fog had finally lifted, I stood before a world so clear that it almost seemed tangible. I traced the images in my mind, traversing the blurred boundaries of cities, mountains, ocean, space, and everywhere else beyond. Peculiar creatures—part-human, part-machine, part-animal—were fiercely fighting, trembling the world with their battle cries. That world was ever-awake. Was it really a dream?

 

In her first solo exhibition <Lost in Daydreams>, 502 (pronounced [oh-gong-ee]; Kang Seohyun) invites us into her fantastically peculiar myth of "monsters." Myths, the tales of both humans and non-human beings, often directly spoke of the human condition and served as a moral compass for society. Similarly, the mythological motifs in 502's works are informed by the various forms of conflict and discrimination present in our contemporary society.

 

For the artist, the clamoring battle of the monsters and humans is not a dystopic circumstance. Isolating the battle scenes from any narrative context, 502 challenges the viewers to consider the intrinsic potential in the act of fighting itself. Within the vibrantly saturated scenery, it is hard for the eye to rest on a specific focal point; each character, clad in their own unique arms and armors, demands attention. In a battle where there are no individual heroes nor clear victory, 502 asks us to see the harmony within the disharmony. The artist states, "Each living being has their own narrative and voice. To be able to listen to all these sounds might be an unattainable dream in this reality. In these universes, however, it becomes possible."

 

502 also shows how love persists, even in the midst of a violent battle. Take <In the Blue Light> as an example. Two monsters are entangled in what could either be an icy cold ocean or a blazing flame. Against such blues, the distinct ruby red wounds cast light on the seemingly metallic armor of the monsters, rendering them as tender skin vulnerable to external forces. The embrace of the wounded monsters evokes the presence of a love—understated yet powerful.

 

<Lost in Daydreams> presents the unique opportunity to view the wide breadth of brightly colored pencil drawings and ceramic pieces that the artist has been diligently working on for two years. Listen carefully as you walk through the space, and you might just be able to make out the booming cries of the monsters reverberating from 502's boundless battlefield.

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Written by_Ryu Dayun