 |
| ▲This photo, provided by Monk Sangwon, shows "Let's play, White tiger." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
 |
| This photo, provided by Monk Sangwon, shows the artist. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
 |
| ▲This photo, provided by Monk Sangwon, shows poster of the exhibition "Let's play, White tiger." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Yonhap) -- Chief Monk Sangown of Gyeseungsa Temple in Gyeongnam will release folk paintings which he worked on for years.
"Let's Play, White Tiger" (translated) is the theme of exhibition which takes place at namgaram museum in Gyeongnam until Oct. 30,
Of around 200 fork tales that Monk drew since 2016, the exhibition displays 36 of his works based on tigers. It is said that it was monk's wish to share tiger paintings with the public before the end of this year, the year of the tiger, which is known to drive away evils.
Main piece "Let's Play White Tiger" (translated) features a child bullying a tiger, which is ten times bigger than himself, with a stick. . The kid wearing Nike shoes is confident even in front of a tiger who seems to rush at him like an athlete at any minute.
Tiger singing happily with a mic in the painiting "Only walk on flowery path" (translated) can bring happiness to the viewers. "Hojakdo" and "Maenghodo" (translated) with strong traditional folk paintings color and a Buddhist painting "Yangryu Gwaneumdo" can also be seen.
Monk explained his works as "period folk pating."
"It's just a folk painting of the Joseon Dynasty if only draw traditional folk painting. Folk painting today should depict today's reality. Folk tale has no life if not depict or satirize reality.
"If you only draw traditional folk tales, you're just following the folk tales of the Joseon Dynasty. The folk tales of this era need to capture the reality now.
The reason monk began drawing folk painting is because of his "lumbar disc." He says it has become difficult for him to sit and meditate, which are usually done for 14 hours, after the surgery. Instead, he devoted himself to drawing folk tales for 14 hours as if he had been meditating, and through intensive training during COVID-19 crisis, the scope of painting expanded.
The monk said, "I drew more than 14 hours a day or all night to get rid of delusions," adding, "I put in efforts enough to be able to play with the reality I was given."
Joining the priesthood in 2000, he studied Chinese literature, Buddhism, and Seon studies at Dongguk University. Since winning the 2017 Gaecheon Art Grand Prize, he has won 10 wards in other art competitions. This is first solo exhibition of the artist who has only been participating as a group.
(This article is translated from Korean to English by Jiwon Woo.)
(END)
(C) Yonhap News Agency. All Rights Reserved
