Ode to the Moon

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE), Korean Cultural Center in Hong Kong, and Soluna Art Group are pleased to present a group exhibition ‘Ode to the Moon: 吟風詠月 (음풍영월)’ in Hong Kong. This special exhibition is supported by KOFICE, an organization in charge of international cultural exchange projects of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Korean Cultural Centers abroad.

‘Ode to the Moon’ is part of the bigger project by KOFICE entitled ‘Living by Design’ with an aim to showcase various media works from paintings to photography, objects, and crafts by 12 contemporary Korean artists, and reveal their individual journeys of exploring the diversity of Korean aesthetic values from a synchronized perspective. It breaks down the boundaries between art and materiality to present Korean aesthetics and encourage exploration of their inherent values.

The dictionary meaning of the four-character-idiom 음풍영월 (吟風詠月), which inspired the title of the exhibition ‘Ode to the Moon’, describes the act of composing poetry in the crisp air under the bright moonlight. It is associated with the East Asian philosophical ideal of finding a perfect moment of harmonious communication between humans and nature. The act of creation, or composing poetry, through the perfect harmony of time and space has always been humankind’s purest and timeless nature. The above phenomenon describes the coincidental yet perfect accordance of all external matters, individuals’ objective-subjective judgments, and the material-spiritual worlds. Likewise, we hope that the exhibition harnesses the spiritual powers of the wind and moon to intimately move and connect the visitors to the sense of time and space.

The whole exhibition is primarily divided into three zones: Sky 天, Earth 地, and Human 人 in which each zone explores a special essence of Korean aesthetics within the artists’ varying interpretations of their search for beauty.

By dividing this exhibition into three zones of Sky 天, Earth 地, Human 人, we hope that viewers can sense a strong harmony and wholeness in the interrelation of the works.”
— Rachel Eunju Lee

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Founded in 2017 by Rachel Eunju Lee, Soluna Art Group is an organization that nurtures and supports Asian contemporary art and objects with deep roots in South Korea. The Group consists of two distinct directions - Soluna Fine Art and Soluna Living.

Soluna Fine Art is the pioneering purveyor of Asian Fine Art in Hong Kong, specialising in Asian contemporary paintings, objects, works on paper and fine art photographs. The gallery programme of Soluna Fine Art is infused with the philosophy of traditional Asian art and seeks to convey its meticulous craftsmanship under a fresh light. Art from the East has historically incorporated a wide variety of cultural influences and the vision at Soluna Fine Art is to play a role in this continuum of cross-cultural encounters.

Soluna Living nurtures and supports the best in Korean craftsmanship. In addition to selling curated collections of unique, highly-crafted products for interior spaces, Soluna Living is trusted resources for consumers who know that quality design can enhance the quality of life.