Kwon Ji-an, also known as singer Solbi, kicks off art exhibit

Arts & Design

Published: 03 Mar. 2021, 17:43 Updated: 03 Mar. 2021, 18:50

Kwon Ji-an, also known as singer Solbi, kicks off art exhibit

Artist Kwon Ji-an, who is also known as Solbi, kicked off an exhibit at Gallery Insa Art in central Seoul on Wednesday. [M.A.P CREW]

Artist Kwon Ji-an, who is also active as singer Solbi, kicked off her exhibit “Just a Cake-Piece of Hope” on Wednesday at Gallery Insa Art in Insa-dong, central Seoul.

The exhibit showcases some 30 pieces of two-dimensional and three-dimensional paintings as well as sculpture, which all take their motif from cake.

According to her agency M.A.P Crew, it’s her first exhibit after she was embroiled in a plagiarism controversy last December. She posted a picture of a colorful cake she had made with the caption “I made this cake in my own way,” which quickly came under criticism for plagiarizing artist Jeff Koons’ famous sculpture "Play-Doh."

Following the backlash, Kwon edited the post saying that her cake was inspired by Koons’ "Play-Doh" and was not for sale.

Kwon's Instagram post making the cake inspired by artist Jeff Koons' "Play Doh." [SCREEN CAPTURE]

The problematic cake, which has been stored in a freezer, is also on display.

“This exhibit shows work in which a formative object and a story process are added through the performance of the artist inserting the candle and burning it,” said Choi Hyung-wook, curator of the exhibit. “The artist’s wounds from the plagiarism controversy and cyber bullying appeared as the basis of the work.”

The exhibition will run through March 8.

BY YIM SEUNG-HYE [yim.seunghye@joongang.co.kr]