Now In Korea
Awakening Silence: The Quiet Dynamism of Seok Chang-woo’s Ink Croquis — 47th Solo Exhibition Opens Nov 5
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Seok Chang-woo, known as the ‘prosthetic-arm (의수) painter,’ will hold his 47th solo exhibition at Gallery Arisu in Insadong, Seoul from November 5–11. A symbolic figure in Korea’s disability arts scene, Seok lost both arms in a young-age electrical accident and later learned to paint by holding brushes in a prosthetic attached to his shoulder. His signature ‘‘sumuk croquis (수묵 크로키)’ — fast, ink-based sketches combining traditional East Asian ink painting and calligraphic brushwork with the speed and vitality of Western drawing — captures fleeting bodily motion and life’s tension. Works from the COVID period and highlights from his 46th exhibition at the Ulsan Whale Foundation (2023) will be shown alongside new pieces. Critics praise his line as an act or prayer that awakens the silence of life, turning limitation into a powerful aesthetic that animates athletes, dancers, and skaters on paper. Seok has also served in leadership roles supporting disabled artists, including positions with the GKL Social Contribution Foundation, the Korea Disability Culture and Arts Center, and as president of the Korea Disabled Artists Association. The exhibition frames his art as a journey of faith, resilience, and the essential freedom of life.
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