Unsettling, Urgent Depictions of Women’s Bodies in Two Seoul Shows
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Two recent solo exhibitions in Seoul — Lee Eun-sil’s “Fago” at Arario Gallery and Jang Pa’s “Gore Deco” at Kukje Gallery — present visceral, confrontational paintings that explore female bodies and experiences from a distinctly female perspective. Lee (43) uses ink-and-color on paper to transform her traumatic childbirth and epidural hallucinations into large, semi-abstract natural and animal imagery; signature works include the 7.2m “Epidural Moment” and “Unstopping Canyon,” which liken bodily blood flow to volcanic lava. Jang’s “Gore Deco” series amplifies and distorts internal organs and genitals with sharp brushwork, silk-screened historical motifs, and decorative elements to subvert male gaze and aestheticize the grotesque; the show includes some 45 works mixing canvas, drawings, and prints. Both exhibitions counter digital media trends by reaffirming painting’s intense, embodied expressive power, while raising questions about literalness versus symbolism in their provocative portrayals. (epidural: a type of anesthesia used during childbirth)
