▲ Artist Yoongon Jung

“I draw 6 to 8 hours a day in Yangpyeong. Watching stones and pictures make me think that each phase of life have time to do certain things in certain periods. Next year, I become 70 and I want to invite important people to me to my solo exhibition. About 30 to 40 of my works will be hung on the walls and the works represent the state of my mind at that moment” – excerpt from the interview with <PowerKorea> July 2020 –

 

Monthly <PowerKorea> met artist Yoongon Jung again after the interview we had a year ago. We visited the Insa Art Plaza where his solo exhibition to celebrate the age of 70 is being held. Opening the door of the gallery, we could see the painting that won the presidential prize at the Korea Unification Art Competition. The work is a view of the North from a mountain in Inje County, Gangwon Province. Below is the Q&A.

 

Q. May we ask how you feel about the exhibition on the occasion of your 70 years of age?

A. I feel it marks a new chapter of my life. Many people have sent me congratulations and I’m really happy. Many people have come despite the cold weather and the pandemic. I actually hesitated whether I should have an exhibition now but my family and friends encouraged me to do so. I’m particularly impressed by congratulatory speeches from my friends. They willingly paid a visit to the gallery in early hours of the morning and they even made the touching speeches. I feel really thankful. The exhibition this time is showing my works I have drawn time to time.

 

Q. We remember that you had a viewing stone exhibition 10 years ago. How is it different after 10 years?

A. I feel I can enjoy better than before. Many things have been changed and so have my life and ideas. To be more specific, I feel I have let go of more things than before and lead my life with simple pleasures as if I’m enjoying a picnic with drawing. 

 

Q. What will be your next move?

A. Confucius said that 60 is the age that understands how the world works and 70 is the age that one is not shaken by outside influence. So, I may well follow his insight. If I can, I want to pass down my talent to young people and for this I want to build a small art gallery that can also be used as a studio for teaching. 

 

Q. Watching your works here today, we are already looking forward to your next exhibition.

A. I was confident at first but now I feel rather humble with my works. I actually don’t know whether the same opportunity will visit me again but I just want to keep working on my brush so that next time I could be able to show better works than now. Object-wise, I’m going to stick to nature as I always did.

 

Q. What do you expect from visitors to your exhibition?

A. We are part of nature and we cannot live without it. Thinking of my hometown where I was born and bred, I become really warm and comfortable. What I’m trying to say is that I hope visitors just see and feel my works as they are without trying to figure out what messages are hidden in the work. This way, they might better enjoy my works. <PowerKorea>

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