Han, Young-Wook, the Beauty of Our Mortal Life
Seo, Seong-rok (Professor of the Department of Art, Andong National University)
I believe that Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn was the best portrait artist in the world art history. He devoted his whole life to history painting and took various portraits of his contemporary people. I think <Self Portrait as the Apostle Paul > (1661) is his greatest masterpiece; old and gloomy Rembrandt wearing a turban on his head is staring at the front. I will never forget his impressive eyes. He must have a soul as calm and clear as a lake has. This painting awakes me to the truth that eyes are the window of the soul.
Recently, I have many opportunities to encounter Young-Wook Han’s portraits at art exhibitions. Rapidly and unusually, he has earned fame as a hyperrealism portrait artist. His works of art are distinguished among art lovers. What is the reason for that?
The models of his portraits are such ordinary people as an old woman who has a wrinkled face like the parched land does, a sad and tired farmer who was browned with the glaring sun, a Middle Eastern man who has white eyebrows and beard, a black man who has startled eyes like a rabbit, a man who is buried in grief, a middle-aged man whose eyelids droop, a young man who is anxious about the existence of another man, and a solitary gentleman whose eyes are unseen at a dim sunset.
All of his models are staring at the front, so they face each other with the viewers. Some viewers might be uneasy about the unexpected encounters, which are exciting but embarrassing at the same time. Han’s figure pieces stir up those kinds of double feelings.
He pays attention to people’s eyes. He said that he had made efforts to catch ‘loneliness and sadness on people’s faces.’ The lonesome eyes reveal our poor existences clinging to meaningless things. After listening to his explanation, I can find again in his paintings the people who are overwhelmed by burdens of life and have pale complexions.
As a matter of fact, Young-Wook Han is a master-hand of portraits; He paints them with no hesitation as if his paintbrush moved automatically. His works of art keep us visually amused with skillful description and outstanding details.
He is much more well-known inside than outside of the country. His pictures have been applauded at many prestigious international art fairs including Singapore, Chicago, Tokyo, and Cologne. He was also invited by the renowned domestic art events like KIAF, KCAF, and Chungdam Art Festival. Furthermore, his brilliant artistry was recognized with the grand prizes at three respectable art festivals; Danwon, Sin Saimdang, and Gangwon.
His paintings attract the viewers’ gaze in virtue of their extraordinary exquisiteness and shiny luster. Especially, the models’ eyes where tears stand are very appealing.
It is amazing that Young-Wook draws pictures on aluminum foil, which adds glitter to the pictures. (Therefore, you should appreciate his works in their presence to enjoy their glittery colors.) At first, he imprints an image on the foil with a ballpoint pen, and then he colors it with brownish oil paints. He finishes the picture trimming the image with a fine needle. In addition, he accurately calculates the reflective effect of the illuminated texture.
His portraits are often mistaken for photographs or real people. He perfectly represents eyebrows, wrinkles, hairs, sweat glands, scars, eyeballs, and skin. The viewers are surprised and impressed by the portraits which are more realistic than photographs or mirror images.
Han was inspired by great Korean artist, Jung-Seop Lee who drew pictures on the silver paper inside cigarette boxes; He began to use aluminum foil after watching Lee’s works displayed at Hoam Gallery. After long-time practice, he presented the series of puppies and then a number of portraits.
His works of art reveal the painter’s meticulous preparation; he is such an eager beaver. He gets up at 4 o’clock in the morning and starts working before 5 o’clock. He finishes work at 8 o’clock in the evening. When I visited his studio, he turned off his cellular phone and buried himself in painting. He looked so determined like a soldier just before going to the front. While talking with him, I was impressed by his ‘professionalism’ as an artist.
The artist’s portraits show more than realistic and precise images of people; of course, they display ‘the maximum similarity’ between the model and the image. However, his utmost artistic foundation lies in humanism. He confessed, “I draw portraits because of love for people.” He has taken heed of various ordinary people, whom we can see in everyday life, rather than high officers, famous celebrities, and legendary heroes. He never deifies his models.
All of them are human beings just like us. Only they have insignificant differences in skin color and living environment. They take the challenges of life with every fiber of their body, but they live like a flower which can survive only one season; they live for limited time but emit the deep fragrance of life. Han said, “We the people are suffering from mortality and lonesome fate, but we are expressing the beauty of life.”
His philosophy reminds me of a biblical expression, “Human life is as short-lived as grass. It blossoms like a flower in the field. (Psalm 103:15)” Life is fleeting fast, and human glory is disappearing easily. A dead person will be memorized only by his lovers and true friends.
Why does Young-Wook Han focus on people’s faces? By drawing their portraits, he tries to comfort and support them on their side. That is the reason why we cannot turn our eyes from his paintings.
