"Valley" Painting

Ryu HoiMin(류회민/柳會玟)


Black is no longer just a tool for rendering shadows or outlines; it becomes the subject itself.

The reality is that the deep, dark ink is being overshadowed by the overwhelming momentum of brilliant colors, losing its vitality. Eyes accustomed to pink tones can no longer accept the seemingly dim and lifeless black of the ink. The desire for color is boundless; countless vibrant hues—either blends of primary colors or even more finely subdivided shades—constantly pour out from pigment factories. To those intoxicated by color, the black ink that represents the achromatic may be intolerable.
​Nevertheless, my ink grows thicker and thicker. No matter how much water-based ink is layered on a flat surface, it never seems to possess a physical texture. Yet, in anticipation of a transformation, I endlessly repeat the process of accumulating ink (Jeokmuk). In doing so, I eventually move beyond scorched ink (Chomuk) and reach a realm of oily brilliance.
​Since I work primarily with ink, I must focus on the movement and flow of the ink tones to maximize the effect of illusion using only black. To overcome the limitations of representing objects in a single tone, I am compelled to devote my efforts to the diverse variations and profound depth of the ink's shade.