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Down memory lane with several media

“HJ”

At the end of every year, the Alternative Space Loop, a gallery located near Hongdae, invites young, rising artists to submit their works to an exhibition.
Two of them are selected for a solo show, to be held the following summer. Suh Dong-wook, a contemporary artist, was one of those selected this year.
His exhibition, called “Myself When I am Real,” will begin next month and it will feature 20 works including “Mimi,” one of Suh's first pieces.
This piece, which includes video and painting, is based on the story of a man in his 20s searching Paris for a woman named Mimi, whom he met and fell in love with. After she leaves him, he reminisces and looks for clues to get her back.
In addition to the 11-minute video featured in “Mimi,” Suh will also exhibit his recent work “Rue du Theatre Obscur.”
This work also contains painting and videos. There are two characters depicted and they meet up in Montpellier, in the south of France.
One of the characters is Lee Seung-hyun, an actor who became famous after starring a film called “Newcomer” in 1983.
Another work by Suh is “Quai de la Seine,” which is a portrait of the artist on the banks of the Seine River in Paris.
This painting is also a reminiscence, because Suh once studied in Paris.
Yang Ji-yoon, the curator of Gallery Loop, believes that Suh's video art is based on his sense of nostalgia for the French New Wave and European culture.
She also noted that both sentimentalism and narcissism coexist in the structure of Suh's works.

“Quai de la Seine,” by Suh Dong-wook Provided by Alternative Space Loop Gallery

“Many find video art difficult to approach,” says Suh. “However, my works are easy to appreciate since most contain a familiar narrative storyline and traditional portraits that reflect the lives of modern people.”

“Myself When I Am Real,” a solo exhibition of work by Suh Dong-wook, will be held from July 3 to 29 at the Alternative Space Loop Gallery located in Seogyo-dong, western Seoul. The nearest subway is Hongik University Station, line No. 2, exit 5. For more information, call (02) 3141-1377 or visit www.galleryloop.com.

By Lee Eun-joo Contributing Writer [estyle@joongang.co.kr]