In the spring, a world of heightened colour and organic forms becomes most evocative and full of potential - the budding of life, the flowers in bloom and the transformation of what was barren and cold into what is in now lush and alluring sets the tone in this season of metamorphosis. This spirit of renewal can also be seen through the creative endeavour of artists. Established forms are revisited and rewrought, breathing new life into what was once staid into ingenious statements of Postmodern Expressionism. In ‘Eternal Spring’, a showcase of two of South Korea’s brightest artistic talents, we see old forms take on a new dimension, through materials that are unconventional and inventive, breaking new ground whilst bridging the then/now divide.

Cho Sung-Hee’s textured minimalist works combine a traditional Korean sensibility with the aesthetic aims of Dansaekhwa, the Monochrome art movement that burgeoned in 1960s Korea. In a labour-intensive and time-consuming process, she trims delicate circles from Korean mulberry paper or Hanji, and repetitively applies them to a coloured surface. The painstaking process draws attention to the material qualities of Hanji, and the resulting three-dimensional piece evokes the beauty of nature, calling to mind blooming petals and freshly fallen blossoms.

Lee Gil-Rae has followed nature as his muse, crafting intricate, organic, tree-form sculptures from steel and copper pipes. He has spent more than twenty years perfecting delicate branches made of copper rings and lengths of pipe. The complexity of these organic shapes, inspired by the pine trees in paintings, exude a certain poetry and lightness that contrast with the industrial materials he uses. These metal trees thus raise questions relating to deforestation and the environmental crisis provoked by the industrial era.

Collectively, the works of both artists breathe regeneration into traditional art forms that have permeated the Korean cultural consciousness for centuries. Through this discourse they have continued the evolution and continuity of Korea’s art seasons, thus, a new spring has begun.