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| ▲ Actor-turned-artist Park Ki-woong attends his exhibition "Future Superhero" in this photo provided by Whitestone Gallery. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
SEOUL, July 25 (Yonhap) -- “A hero who feels like a villain, a villain who seems heroic—I tried to capture that space in between,” said actor-turned-artist Park Ki-woong ahead of his solo art exhibition "Future Superhero."
At a press preview held at Whitestone Gallery in Seoul’s Yongsan District on Thursday, Park’s work "Epitome" caught the eye. The piece features the Disney villain Cruella from "101 Dalmatians" with the phrase "No Villains No Heroes" layered across the canvas. Though Cruella’s distorted expression reinforces her villainous image, a contrasting face with a gentle smile beside her challenges the viewer’s assumptions.
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| ▲ This painting by actor-turned-artist Park Ki-woong is provided by Whitestone Gallery. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Running from July 25 to August 24, Park’s exhibition seeks to deliver a hopeful message that anyone can become a superhero.
“I wanted to use familiar characters to speak to everyone,” he said. “We may be small cogs in society, but we are the brilliant protagonists of our own lives.”
He added, “This exhibition is my way of encouraging older generations that doors to new possibilities remain open and reassuring younger people that they, too, can succeed.”
Having previously held the 2023 exhibition "48VILLAINS" centered on cinematic antagonists, Park now presents about 40 new pieces that redefine the concept of a hero. Since 2021, Park has been actively working as both an actor and artist, and many of the new works were created over the past year.
The exhibition includes paintings from his "ActingNut" series, inspired by movie quotes such as those from "No Country for Old Men," and works like "Future Hero" that reimagine classic characters like Wile E. Coyote from the animation "Looney Tunes." These works prompt viewers to reflect on familiar pop culture in new ways.
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| ▲ This painting by actor-turned-artist Park Ki-woong is provided by Whitestone Gallery. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap) |
Park also experiments with new techniques such as silkscreen and sculpture. His "SUSNUT" series features walnut-shaped sculptures painted in various colors and placed throughout the exhibition space.
During the same period, another exhibition will be held at the gallery by Japanese artist and former idol Gento Senga. Titled "Essence of Love," the show features Gento’s original finger-shaped character "FiNGA" through paintings, animations, and figurines. The exhibition explores various expressions of love, from romantic attraction to warm memories of childhood with a grandmother.
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