Chapter 154: Haesong (10)

Chapter 154: Haesong (10)

Chapter 154 Haesong (10)

The first solo exhibition of painter Go Suyeol in 19 years received a great response from the opening day.

According to Seoul Art Museum.

It was estimated that the exhibition would easily break the previous record for a solo exhibition, as 16,000 people entered in the morning.1)

Except for the third exhibition hall, all areas were filled with Go Suyeols works, and the museum also operated a separate audiovisual room, but it was hard to handle the crowd.

In the spring of this year, his grandson Go Hoon opened Sweet Happiness and attracted 170,000 people in two weeks, giving vitality to the art world.

And as his grandfather Go Suyeol created a huge wave in the summer, the hearts of those who loved art swelled.

Reporter Kim Ji-woo waited for Go Suyeol while organizing the interview with Henri Marceau.

What should I call it?

With the keywords Henri Marceau, Go Suyeol, and Go Hoon, the basic views were guaranteed, but he couldnt easily send out the exclusive interview he had obtained.

Its good to tease. Good to tease?

<Love 7> was a work that well expressed the warm gaze of the grandfather looking at his young grandson and Go Hoons cuteness.

It was nice to have a cozy feeling with the light yellow background and the warm colors.

Is it because he ate with soybean paste on it?

Kim Ji-woo chuckled.

No way. Hes not a kid.

Kim Ji-woo, who couldnt think of a proper title, wrote Henri Marceaus Love for Go Hoon on the handwritten article.

Hello.

The host announced the start of the event.

Thank you for visiting Seoul Art Museum. Im Yoo Jin, the host for today.

The reporters, guests, and visitors welcomed him with applause.

This is an exhibition that will last for a month, where you can see the works of painter Go Suyeol, who has been working for the past 19 years.

Along with the host Yoo Jins words, the cross-section of Seoul Art Museum was shown on the front screen.

The first exhibition hall, Courage, displays the works that you have worked on in the last six years, and it deals with the conflict between people.

Kim Ji-woo opened the catalog as he listened to the hosts words.2)

Go Suyeol regretted in his greeting that he had let go of his vain pride after being estranged from his son, and that he had no courage to admit it.

The second exhibition hall, Love, displays the works that painter Go Suyeol drew by observing his grandson, writer Go Hoon, since last summer.

Everyone, including Kim Ji-woo, smiled faintly as they felt the affectionate gaze of looking at Go Hoon.

Finally, the special exhibition hall displays the pine tree series of painter Go Suyeol.

All the works were managed under strict security, but the pine tree series exhibited in the special exhibition hall was especially protected.

Kim Ji-woo nodded his head as he recalled the works behind the reinforced glass.

Thats right.

Go Suyeols pine tree series was the work that the collectors who wanted to have it had been looking for for decades.

Was it because of too much love?

The <Pine Trees> disappeared for 19 years when Go Suyeol stopped his activities.

Among the collectors, there was a saying that they would pay any amount if they could get a <Pine Tree>, but no one came forward to sell Go Suyeols <Pine Tree>.

Then, a businessman who failed in business put up <Pine Tree 2> for auction.

Many people participated in the auction, and <Pine Tree 2> was finally sold for an astonishing $21 million.

It was the only trade in 19 years, so the value of the pine tree series at this exhibition was beyond words.

Seoul Art Museum and Seoul Auction estimated the transaction price of <Jung Ee-pum-song> between 20 billion won and 30 billion won.

Various media outlets said that Seoul Art Museum and Seoul Auction had set the transaction price of Go Suyeols works conservatively.

Then, we will start the event with the congratulatory speech of writer Go Hoon, the grandson. Please welcome him with applause.

*

I stepped forward to match the hosts introduction.

There were so many people that no one could pass through this spacious space.

I felt how much my grandfather was loved by many people.

Richard Phillips, Martin Jansen, Pierre Malo, Jang Mi-rae, Bang Tae-ho, Kim Ji-woo, Lee In-ho, Michel Platini, damn bastard, etc. There were many familiar faces.

I thanked them with my heart.

Thank you for coming to my grandfathers exhibition.

I looked around and said.

Its amazing. I know how hard it is to come here on a weekday morning. Are you okay with work?

People smiled slightly.

The entrance fee is 30,000 won, which is a lot of money that can buy a pizza and a cola, but you spent it on enjoying my grandfathers works, so this is also a very heartwarming thing.

Bang Tae-ho put his hand on his face.

Jang Mi-rae laughed without making a sound, but I dont know why.

He was the one who hung out with Kevin McCallister at the Van Gogh Museum and walked briskly to scold Henri Matisse.

How do you draw something like that? Does it look like that when you draw with force?

It wasnt easy to draw such a powerful line.

You have to paint fast, not just with force. He drew this line in one stroke.

How can you do that when its so big?

The brush is huge. As big as us.

Where did you get that brush?

At our house.

Really?

He took a picture of him working and showed it to him. He opened his mouth wide.

Its huge.

Thats why he had to lay it on the floor and draw.

Yeah.

Cha Si-hyun couldnt move for a while in front of <Gale>.

I thought it was cool to play with the ink pressure and the shade in ink painting, but this intense taste was also new and interesting.

Thats why I liked his work.

The Whitney Biennial was full of great works, but they werent easy to understand.

I could only understand a little bit of Gonzales work after I learned about his life.

Its awesome.

Cha Si-hyun expressed his honest opinion.

I dont know what it is, though.

Its okay if you dont understand.

Why? Its better to know more.

Youll want to know more if you like it. Knowledge only matters then.

Thats how it is with all art works.

Its boring to approach it with culture. Youre not uncultured just because you dont know. You dont know art, but youre good at math.

Im good at Korean, social studies, and science too.

Yeah. You dont need to study something youre not interested in just to look like you do. Its a waste of time and money.

Hmm. But its still studying.

There are many people who would rather watch YouTube while eating potato pizza for 30,000 won, right?

Does that have any meaning?

Im just saying that there are people like that. If youre not interested in art, you can do that.

Cha Si-hyun thought for a moment and nodded.

Sometimes I say Id rather eat jjajangmyeon with this money when I eat expensive food.

You said youd rather eat potato pizza more often.

Anyway. I like potato pizza or jjajangmyeon more than fancy restaurant food. That doesnt mean my mouth is cheap. Its just a choice.

People call that a babys taste.

So what if its a babys taste. Bland food is no good. I like samgyetang, but I dont know how to eat raw fish without soy sauce or vinegar.

Is that related to coming to the museum?

I went to a new restaurant with courage, and they gave me food that didnt have salt because it was good for my body. Would you go again?

My mother likes food without salt.

Shes a great person who knows elegance.

Yeah!

But most people wont go there. Its expensive and it doesnt suit their taste. Its the same with the museum. People come to see some paintings, but they have to pay 10,000 won or 20,000 won to see a dot. Would they like that?

I think I know what you mean. Youre saying its better to watch YouTube instead, right?

Right.

***

1)Based on the statistics of 2019.

The number of visitors to the Seoul Arts Centers art exhibition was 477,241 from January to March.

An average of about 5,300 per day.

According to the Report on the Trend of Ticket Sales in the Art Exhibition Market quoted by the Chosun Ilbo, the monthly average number of visitors to the paid exhibition halls in Korea for the past two years (2018-2019) was 220,000.

It can be inferred that the total number of paid visitors in Korea is about 7,333 per day.

*Excluding special environments such as expos.

*In the case of the 2012 Yeosu Expo, about 30,000 people visited on the first day.

The statistics for 2020 were 163,118 in the same period, but this was also excluded due to the special situation caused by the corona.

2)A list of explanations for pictures or photos bound in a booklet.