“Undeclared Fields” Installation view. ©Gallery Hyundai
Gallery Hyundai presents “Undeclared Fields,” a solo exhibition of Kim Guiline (1936–2021) until July 14. This is Kim’s third solo exhibition at Gallery Hyundai and his first since his passing.
The exhibition offers a fresh perspective on paintings by Kim, a pioneer of Dansaekhwa, by showcasing his unique and intriguing approach to depicting poems on canvas. It delves into the depth and richness of Kim’s works beyond the monochromatic canvas. “Undeclared Fields” unveils approximately forty works, ranging from the Visible, Invisible series from 1970 — the period when the monochromatic painting language was established — to the Inside, Outside series from the 1980s, which continued until he passed in 2021.
Critic Simon Morley interprets Kim’s works in a new context as a poet’s paintings written in color, devoid of text on canvas, and revealed through the cast of light in his essay ”Kim Guiline: Undeclared Messages.” Kim left for France in 1961 to research Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and spent his twenties reading the poetry of Arthur Rimbaud, Stéphane Mallarmé, and other French poets of the time, dedicating himself to writing poetry.
The poem he wrote with a pen, pressing hard, on manuscript paper in 1966 is naturally connected to the dots of paint piled up on a grid-shaped monochromatic canvas plane drawn vaguely visible. Kim is a Dansaekhwa artist who belongs to the same generation as other artists in this movement. However, what sets Kim’s works apart from those of his peers in the Korean art world is that although he is widely known as a painter, he initially majored in philosophy and French Literature in Korea and then studied art history in France before he decided to pursue practicing art as a painter.
Additionally, he is the only Dansaekhwa artist to have used traditional painting materials, namely oil and canvas. Kim used these materials, often associated with traditional painting, to explore the relationship between color and light, creating moments of immersion.
The exhibition title, “Undeclared Fields,” is inspired by Simon Morley’s essay and aims to provide a time of resonance with the work through poetic inspiration while appreciating the drawn poetry that Kim ultimately pursued through his painting.
