Yoo Geun-Taek 유근택

Interpretation 

Like an Impressionist painting, this work by Yoo Geun-Taek provides different perspectives as you move closer or farther away. Scrutinizing Reflection closely reveals clumps of paper pulp on the surface. Yoo constructed this painting with pigments and ink on layers of hanji paper, then deconstructed it by gouging it with an iron-bristled brush. The resulting multi-textured surface shimmers between image and materiality.

Acquisition Details

Founded in 1991 in Seogwipo, South Korea, the Korea Foundation is a nonprofit that works to strengthen relationships between Korea and the rest of the world. Through the foundation, RISD alumni and trustee emeritus Dr. Se-Ung Lee established a fund to support the understanding of Korean art. The RISD Museum used this fund to acquire Yoo’s painting, promoting a deeper appreciation of contemporary Korean art practices.

–Wai Yee Chiong, curator of Asian art