Yu Kwon-Yeol was awarded the grand prize at Joongang Grand Exhibition in 1997 and the following year, 1998, he was once again awarded the grand prize at Kanagawa International Print Triennial. Since the honor of the grand prize is not often granted to nay printing art work, it was unprecedented for him to be awarded the grand prize at Joongang Grand Exhibition. In retrospect, his works were appreciated as the fine art masterpieces that transcended the realm of printing art. His successful experiment with the forms that overcame prejudices against the characteristics of printing as an art form must have been widely re agonized. According to those prejudices, printing is generally regarded as the art that crates dense images within the framework of relatively small screen and limited flat surface. However, his works are not only limited to small screen, but to flat surface. His works where he placed his prints in the frame and added various objects to the prints look projected on the flat surface like some three dimensional models. His conception of dividing a print into parts and reorganizing them was received as quite original at the textures of his works indicate more than the simple integration of printings and paintings. The composition of his experimental works reached up to a third coordinate which transcended mere sum total. He expanded the realm of expression by printing, employing size and three dimensions and penetrated the void inside paintings with delicate details, which played a pivotal role for the intended effects. Since then, the artist has been creating his works, experimenting with various mixed media crossing over between printing and painting. he expresses the aesthetic senses unique to printing in his works, but do not allow his works to be limited to the characteristics of printing as a particular genre, moving forward in his search for the coordinates of his own. The subjects and objects of his works have been through various changes on the outside, but much of the forms from his previous works have been maintained. he seems to have attempted certain variations and deepening of the recurring theme. 

The room of his wife, the scent of his wife and love letters dedicated to her. She is not there in her room. it has been long since she's been gone. However, it feels like she is here in her room now because she left her scent as part of her. That's why the artist has been drawing on all the still objects and parts of things in her room….

The still life objects he paints can be interpreted as the embodiment of his absent wife and his longings for her as well. A butterfly, like a message his wife could have sent, is fluttering in front of the embodiment. his works can be seen as usual still life paintings. however, the artist transforms those ordinary still life paintings by completely coloring them with the veil of his personal feelings and experiences. He points to certain aesthetic coordinates where universality and peculiarity, and objectivity and subjectivity converge into one. While reflecting on a series of his still life paintings created by his heartfelt longing for his wife, one cannot help feeling that there could be no better love letters than these works… 

by Kho Chung-Hwan, Art critic