Gallery EXIT is pleased to present the opening on May 15, 2009 of IYOIYO (Japanese word meaning “at last” in English), the first solo exhibition of Kyoto-based Korean artist Hyon Gyon in Hong Kong.

Entangled hair, hair pins or swords pressing hair, and chima jeogori (Korean traditional outfit) that covers skin; these elements seem to evoke the issues of feminism and identity. Indeed, Hyon Gyon was born as a Korean woman, and now lives in a town in a foreign country, Kyoto. However, you should not be misled by these elements, because her works contain ugly images at first sight. What you receive from her works are, actually, full of colors, light and energy of life.

She interprets “han”, a word in Korean, in her works. “Han” means grudge, and it holds more meanings then the word itself. Pointing out its oppositive character, she says the word lump the oppositive things together; like inwards digestion and outward emission, desire, impulse to destroy, hatred and love, patience and being despair, and mercy and cruelty.

She converts pain into humor. Being aware of her own identity, she knows the way to overcome it. That’s why she, as a third person, uses hair pins, hair, spirituality and dramatics of ceremony as signals, sublimating them into outward energy.

The new works of this exhibition contains multicultural motifs, which make the works more colorful. You could observe her determination and ongoing power in the works. “IYOIYO”, the time has come!

Gallery EXIT will be participating in ART HK 09, May 14-17, 2009. Gallery booth is located at Booth E11, Hall 1, Hong Kong Exhibition and Convention Centre.