It is truly remarkable that South Korean artist Hyung Koo Kang only took up painting a mere 20 years ago, such is his level of skill and detail which would take any mere mortal twice as long to learn. Immensely popular and deserving celebrated in his home country, Hyung is known for his larger-than-life size portraits of some of the most recognizable and familiar faces in pop culture.
What makes his work stand apart from traditional portraits, is that he aims the gaze of his subjects directly onto you the viewer, creating a rather unnerving effect.
Instead of looking at his art, it’s literally glaring at you.
And then he completes the effect, but using bold and vibrant blues, violets and reds which combine to create an air of surrealism to his work.
Blogger Tai Ho recently interviewed Hyung and below is an extract from their time together:
“I know people think of my paintings as ‘photographs’, but for me, it’s just the opposite. The most pronounced aspect of the person is creatively drawn out to form another reality. I think that’s why they call me a hyper-realist. When I paint, of course I am looking at the portrait. When I am done, I feel the person I painted is looking at me. For me, the eyes are everything. If you walk through my exhibition, you will get a feeling that these famous people are looking at you, instead of you looking at them. So instead of seeing, you are being seen….”
On his self portraits where he’s painted himself aged 80 and 90 (despite only being 58) Hyung added:
“It is my way of looking into the future, it may be an impossible future, but it is the future I want. It reminds me to stay healthy so that I can reach that age.”
Wise words from one of South Korea’s most talented visionaries.
Andy Warhol
Salvador Dali
Pablo Picasso
Abraham Lincoln
Vincent van Gogh
Hyung Koo Kang Self Portrait
Vincent van Gogh
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