● Education
BA in Fine Art at Chugye University
MA in Fine Art from Hong-Ik University.
● Solo Exhibition
2022 Afterglow (Albemarle gallery - London. United Kingdom.)
2021 To me, You are (D.forest – Chuncheon. Republic of Korea)
2021 Fill a day (Kensington Hotel Yeouido – Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2021 Leaning againist the light (EveryArt - Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2021 Light up my days (NC Singuro Eland gallery - Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 Jongno Tower×Public Gallery : Jeong WooJae invitation exhibition’
(Jongno Tower Artspace, Public Gallery - Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 The Light of Day (Space Art Mine – Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 Constant Companion
(Albemarle Gallery - London. United Kingdom.)
2020 2020 YTN Art Square Invitational Exhibition,
(YTN Art Square - Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2019 The time when a soul becomes a poet
(Dawon Design Gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2019 Ordinary Day
(Jo Gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2018 Gleaming, Dear Diary
(Artspace Loo _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2018 Memory of the shining days
(E.LAND Gallery – Shanghai. China)
2018 Gleaming Days
(Kensington Hotel –Seogwipo. Republic of Korea)
2018 Animals, Becomes Sources of Inspiration
(ARTION ART SALON – Seoul. South Korea )
2016 'The Same Moment'
(Gallery Tom - Seoul. South Korea)
2016 'Luminous moment'
(E.LAND SPACE – Seoul. South Korea)
2013 'The Girl and Her Dog'
(Shine Artists Gallery - London. United Kingdom.)
● Collaboration and engaging works
2021 Participate in the project of 'Our Neighborhood Art' in 2020
(Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Namdong-gu Office-Youth Media Center, Incheon)
2020 Poster work for organ missing children's documentary ‘Evaporation’ (Indiestory)
2020 Naver Creator Salon_Salon of inspiration’ Lecture (Naver Grafolio - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2019 2019 Annual Award Winner 2019, Painting Sector,
(Naver Grafolio - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2019 'I am the only one without cat' Poster Production, Invitational Film of Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, (Design Sek,- Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2019 'Kim Bok Dong' Poster Production, Comfort Woman Victims Documentary Film, (Design Sek,- Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2019 Naver project ‘Grafolio creative support-Fine Art’ member of the jury
(Naver Grafolio - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2017 Naver Grafolio Most Viewing Award
(Naver Grafolio - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2017 Naver project ‘Flower’- Grafolio story
(Vert et Blanc - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2016 Antique furniture Brand U-castle × Jeong Woo-jae
(Dosol museum - Incheon. Republic of Korea. )
2015 Collaboration work of heart sharing concert's main poster, titled as
"Thanks for being with me Vol.2" to raise the awareness of domestic pet's
proper treatment.
● Groupshow
2022 Realistically unrealistic (Geoje Culture and Arts Center _ Geoje. Republic of Korea)
2022 April Special Exhibition of Chakan gallery in Gangnam
(Chakanx gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2022 The collection (The Hyundai Seoul _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2021 ‘Real&Fantasy N.2’ (Gallery InsaArt _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2021 Mimesis Art Museum Special Exhibition ‘visible, Invisible’
(Mimesis Art Museum Special Exhibition – Paju. Republic of Korea)
2021 2021 Art Space Gwanggyo Education Exhibition Project ‘Art See, Adience Look’
(Art Space Gwanggyo - Suwon. Republic of Korea)
2021 ‘Special Exhibition of YTN Exhibitors : Young Talented New artist
(Ecorockgallery _ Goyang. Republic of Korea)
2021 ‘The 1st HALF’ (EveryArt, The Art Plant Jo Gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2021 ‘Hi D Hello C’ (Gallery hoM _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2021 ‘ART-SPOTLIGHT’ (K-Auction _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2021 KT&G sangsangmadang Planning Exhibition 'Picture House’
(Public Gallery, KT&G sangsangmadang _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2021 ‘Draw, share’ (Studio KKI _ Paju. Republic of Korea)
2020 ‘The great beginning 2021’ (Ecorock gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 ‘The artist's view of cultural heritage’ (Jungmyeongjeon Hall of Deoksugung Palace _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 Full of star_one piece (The Art Plant Jo Gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 ‘My night are more Beutiful than Your Days’ (Seou; Museum _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 ‘2020 presents by ArtMoorHouse in collaboration with the Albemarle Shows’ (ArtMoorHouse _ 런 던)
2020 ‘Love Holic’ (Suji Museum _ Namwon. Republic of Korea))
2020 ‘SUPER FLAT’ (Polestar Art Gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 ‘Different view’ (E.LAND SPACE _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 ‘Draw on paper’ (The Art Plant Jo Gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2020 ‘2020 新年賀禮, 3040 Big Picture,Art Space Hoseo, (ART SPACE HOSEO_ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2019 'Full of stars' (Jo Gallery _ Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2019 ‘Romantic Spring’
(Gallery H, Public Gallery – ilsan. Republic of Korea)
2019 ‘Art at home’ (E.LAND SPACE – Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2019 ‘Being of the between’ (gallery Marie - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2019 ‘E.LAND gallery Artro Small Artworks show’
(E.LAND SPACE – Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2018 ‘Artmarket’ (Public gallery - Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2018 ‘E.LAND gallery Artro Small Artworks show’
(E.LAND SPACE – Seoul. Republic of Korea)
2018 ‘Cheongdamdong Zoo’ (Gallery Doo - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2017 National Folk Museum of Korea ‘Coexistence and Companion, Dog’
(National Folk Museum of Korea - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2017 Icheon cerapia ‘Happy?! Zoo’
(Icheon cerapia - Icheon. Republic of Korea.)
2017 Art Terminal-Small museum project ‘DuruBon’
(Art Terminal-Small museum – Jeongseon. Republic of Korea.)
2017 ‘Unnatural History Ⅵ’ (Antler Gallery – Portland. USA.)
2017 ‘Art story with a companion animal_Twinkle’
(Dream Forest Arts Center - Seoul. South Korea.)
2017 ‘83:instinct’
(Gallery Aile - Seoul. South Korea.)
2017 ‘2017 STEP-UP Project : Immersion_Flow’
(Lina gallery - Seoul. South Korea.)
2017 ‘Korean Contemporary Art Series Ⅱ_Painting of Companion Communication ; 畵畵-伴侶.交感’
(Sejong Museum of Art - Seoul. South Korea.)
2017 ‘For Your Spring_LOVE’
(Fill gallery - Seoul. South Korea.)
2017 ‘Empathy space, Comfort up’
(Superior gallery - Seoul. South Korea.)
2017 ‘Companion : Life together’
(Shinsegae gallery – Busan, South Korea)
2016 ‘Nice to meet you, Animal friends’
(GS caltex yeulmaru – Yeosu. South Korea)
2016 Picture travel center Leedam Open Anniversary show 'The stories Inside'
(Picture travel center Leedam - Wonju, South Korea)
2016 ‘Metaphorical relationship’
(Daechungho Museum of Art – Chungju. South Korea)
2016 Pontone Gallery Opens in Chelsea
(Pontone Gallery – London. UK.)
2016 Start Art Seoul 2016 ‘We are animalier’
(Seoul Arts Center – Seoul. South Korea.)
2016 ‘Time Machine’
(Hive gallery – L.A. USA.)
2015 ‘4th Year Anniversary show’
(Flower Pepper Gallery - California. USA.)
2015 Autumn Contemporary Collection | London 2015
(ShineArtists Gallery -London. UK.)
2015 ‘Ever Surreal’
(Flower Pepper Gallery - California. USA.)
2015 ‘We are animalier 2015’
(Atelier Turning – Seoul. South Korea.)
2015 Gallerie Artmundi permanent exhibition
(Gallerie Artmundi – Paris. France)
2015 'Animal’s play'
(Gllery LVS – Seoul. South Korea.)
2014 ‘Three Year Anniversary group exhibition’
(Flower pepper gallery – California. USA.)
2014 ‘The Brave ones’
(Flower pepper gallery - California. USA.)
2014 Jeong woo-jae & Jeong Joong-won
(csp111 Art Space - Seoul. South Korea.)
2013 Graduate School of Hongik University Dept. Painting 2013
(Hongik Museum Of Art - Seoul. South Korea)
2012 2012 Hongik International Art Festival
(Hongik Daehangno Artcenter - Seoul. South Korea.)
2011 Graduate school Hongik university DEPT.Painting second semester
12th Exhbition '12th GPS'
(Hongik Museum Of Art - Seoul. South Korea.)
2009 Exhibitons | Limlip Art Museum a special project
(Limlip Art Museum - Gongju. South Korea.)
● Art Fairs
2022 Urban Break (COEX - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2021 Incheon Asia art Show (Songdo Convensia – Incheon. Republic of Korea.)
2021 Daegu Art Fair (Daegu Exco – Daegu. Republic of Korea.)
2021 The 7th Daejeon International Art Show 2022
(Daejeon Golden Hi convention center – Daejeon. Republic of Korea.)
2021 HOME·TABLE DECO FAIR (Songdo Convensia – Incheon. Republic of Korea.)
2021 Pink Art Fair (COEX Intercontinental Hotel - Seoul. Republic of Korea.)
2021 Home Table Deco Fair (BEXCO - Busan. Republic of Korea)
2019 Art Asia (COEX - Seoul. South Korea.)
2016 KINTEX SPOON ART SHOW 2016
(Kintex – Goyang, South Korea.)
2016 Art New York
(Pier 94 – New York. USA.)
2016 L.A Art Show 2016
(Los Angeles Convention Center – L.A. USA.)
2015 Context Art Miami
(Art Miami Pavilion - Maiami. USA.)
2015 The Affordable Art Fair Seoul
(DDP – Seoul. South Korea.)
2014 The 13th Korea International Art Fair
(COEX - Seoul. South Korea.)
2014 Art 14 London
(Olympia Grand –London. UK.)
2014 AHAF HONG KONG 2014
(Marco PoLo HongKong Hotel - HongKong)
2014 Art Wynwood Maiami 2014
(Art Wynwood Pavilion – Maiami. USA.)
2014 Art PalmBeach
(Palm Beach County Convention Center –Maiami. USA.)
2013 The 12th Korea International Art Fair
(COEX - Seoul. South Korea.)
2013 Art copenhagen
(FORUM COPENHAGEN – Denmark.)
2013 Art Southampton
(Art Southampton Pavilion - New York. USA.)
2013 The Affordable Art Fair Hampstead
(Hampstead Heath -London. UK.)
2013 2013 Artshow Busan
(BEXCO - Busan. South Korea)
2012 The Affordable Art Fair Hamburg
(Hamburg Messe u. Congress GmbH – Hamburg. Germany.)
2012 The Affordable Art Fair Hampstead
(Hampstead Heath - London. UK.)
2012 The 11th Korea International Art Fair
(COEX - Seoul. South Korea.)
2011 2011 Asian Students And Young Artists Art Festival - Art, coming to my life <2011 ASAYAF>
(Hongik Museum Of Art - Seoul. South Korea.)
2009 2009 Salon des Art Seoul
(AT center - Seoul. South Korea.)
2008 2008 Asian Students And Young Artists Art Festival
-When we first met. <2008 ASAYAF>
(Seoul Station - Seoul. South Korea.)
● Collection
2022 E-Land Foundation For The Arts & Culture (Seoul, Republic of Korea)
2021 Mimesis Art Museum (Paju. Republic of Korea)
2021 National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art ‘Art Bank’
(Seoul, Republic of Korea)
2018 E-Land Foundation For The Arts & Culture (Seoul, Republic of Korea)
2016 E-Land Foundation For The Arts & Culture (Seoul, Republic of Korea)
2016 Wonju Cultural Foundation, Wonju (Republic of Korea)
2015 Incheon District Public Prosecutor’s Office (Incheon, Republic of Korea)
and many privite collections over the world.
I think fantasy begins with a lack of reality. Sometimes people want something that cannot be achieved in reality, something that is produced by the imagination, and something that is far removed from normal reality. However, it depicts the fantasy in a hyper-realistic way, but my work does not aim to mislead viewers to distinguish between illusion and reality. I truly hope that fantasy could be a way of healing and not that of an escaping reality. Hyper realism, the style of my painting, is just the method I use to help the viewers to participate. Immersing themselves in the fantasy that is grounded in reality (an ordinary life, where a young girl goes about her everyday life against the backdrop of a park, suburb and street). My paintings are real objects however, what you see is not real. The vignette that I depicted is not what you would see in reality (a surreal situation where a young girl and her constant companion, which is an ornamental fish, are floating in the urban air), so I call it 'Fantasy'. I made this Hyperrealism fantasy image using hyper-real techniques to make us aware that we are viewing a vividly realistic illusion.
Fantasy also offers us a lot of comfort. In particular, a fantasy is based on the power of reality. That's the reason why I try hard to deploy hue, tone and texture with an accurate eye to convince the viewers with pictorial veracity. The term 'Verisimilitude (핍진성)' means the quality of seeming true or of having the appearance of being real. This term comes from Latin. 'Verum' means truth and 'similis' means similar. In art and literature, verisimilitude refers to the likeness of truth or the resemblance of fictitious work to reality. My insistent realism is a way to help viewers immerse themselves in a fantastical and impossible scenario based on Verisimilitude. We are no stranger to the image in which fantasy and reality coexist and it has pervaded our everyday lives. It now seems that we place more significance on what is completed through the harmony of reality and virtuality, rather than detecting what is real. I invite viewers to experience a surreal situation, not hiding that it is a virtual image and a fantasy.
Companion animals can pave the way for healing and recovery for any anxiety and problem we may face. In the modern society that has become extremely individualistic and self-reliant, those constant beings that are kind let us face human nature. Those little fellows come to us and resonate within. With them we don't need to dissemble ourselves or treat them based on our own interests. We can also discover our true selves rather than a public image that society imposes on us through them. They can present us with relaxation, assist us to discover our deepest selves and even be an object of consolation. However, as I expressed above, since there is a limitation in my paintings, I rendered them oversize to maximise their symbolism. This leads to the resemblance of fantasy so that it is perfectly married to the subject of fantasy.
The city and its lights which are the background of the artwork can play a central role in a fictitious environment. Fantasy is far removed from reality, but it shouldn't be just fiction. When they are balanced, fantasy finally can comfort our deficiency in reality.
Through the new series for the show 'Afterglow' with Pontone gallery with a tropical fish theme, I am willing to talk about dreams and rest. When I see ourselves and how we constantly adorn ourselves to establish a good reputation, and how we are not free from the gaze of the other, I feel like we are aquarium fishes for aesthetic purposes. These ornamental fishes always look sumptuous but they are kept in tanks for life.
These fishes encompass a wide variety of species of many shapes, sizes, and colours. There is particularly an aquarium fish that can grow beyond human imagination and they can be much larger than its tank. Even though there are infinite possibilities, people also make their own limits to various external factors and lock themselves in a frame like the aquarium fish. However, the fishes in the work are huge and free floating in the urban air. They don't need to stop growing in order to fit into small aquariums and can live outside the water. I hope that the Afterglow series can be a chance for the busy and exhausted modern day world to just have a moment of peace and deep contemplation where the girl and her constant companion touches their hearts.
작가 정 우 재
급격히 변화하는 사회 속에서 자의식은 끊임없이 변화를 요구받으며 즉각적인 이해관계 속에 얽혀 살아가게 된다. 사람들과의 관계 역시 상호 신뢰와 헌신의 유대관계는 약해져가며 개인이 지닌 이상과 현실의 불일치로 인한 공허함은 커져만 간다. 포스트 코로나, 비대면화 시대에 이러한 현상은 더 커져만 가고 현대사회의 비인간화 현상이 심화되고 있다. 사람들은 자신만의 공간에서 무엇인가와 관계를 맺고 위로를 얻으며 살아가고 있다. 나는 현대인들이 가지고 있는 결핍과 자존감의 문제, 그에 대한 회복과 치유를 반려동물과 사춘기 소녀의 정서적 교감, 도시의 풍경과 빛을 소재로 극사실적 재현의 판타지 이미지를 통해 표현한다.
판타지는 현실에서의 결핍에서 시작한다. 인간은 현실에서 이룰 수 없는 것이나 바라는 것. 이겨낼 수 없는 현실을 극복하기 위해 판타지를 꿈꾼다. 나는 판타지를 통해 현실을 도피하거나 가리는 역할이 아닌 가리키는 역할로써 현실을 마주하며 회복하기를 바란다. 작품에서 판타지를 극사실적인 표현 방법으로 묘사를 하지만 이를 통해 감상자들을 현실과 착각하게 만드는데 목적이 있지 않다. 극사실적 표현 방법을 통해 환영이지만 실재 같은 허구적 참을 발생시킴으로써 보는 사람으로 하여금 감상자의 몰입과 참여를 유도한다.
판타지는 그 자체로 가상의 현실, 핍진성을 통해서 충족이 되기 때문에 극사실적인 표현 방법이 가진 힘은 유효하다. 화면 곳곳을 관찰하고 공들여 묘사하는 일련의 과정은 기계나 사진이 대신할 수 없는 몰입도와 감동, 호소력을 관람자에게 전달한다. 감상자들은 사람의 손에 의해 세밀히 묘사된 이미지를 관찰하고 자기도 모르게 몰입하게 되며 어느새 작품 속 소녀에 이입하게 된다. 이런 일련의 감상 과정을 통해 결핍의 세상에 ‘치유와 회복’이라는 가치를 더할 수 있다. 작품에서 극 사실주의적 재현은 가상을 실재처럼 보이게 하며 거대해진 반려동물, 빛의 표현에 있어 렌즈의 특성을 통한 빛과 빛망울의 표현이나 색감 표현을 통해 감상자에게 하여금 극사실적인 표현으로 재현된 이미지가 가상의 이미지, 판타지라는 것을 숨기지 않고 인식시킨다. 환상과 반영이 공존하는 이미지는 현대인들에게 더 이상 낯선 것이 아니라 자연스럽게 받아들여지며 정서적 리얼리티를 느끼고 몰입한다. 우리의 삶은 실체와 가상에서 진실을 추구하는 존재가 아니라 현실과 가상의 소통을 통해 완성이 되는 존재이다.
반려동물들은 우리가 가질 수 있는 불안과 문제에 대해 치유와 회복의 길을 열어준다. 갈수록 개인화되어가는 현대사회에서 그 존재들은 변하지 않는 본성을 지녔고 인간의 결핍되어가는 관계와 변해가는 본성과 마주할 수 있게 해준다. 작은 존재들이 주는 울림은 우리에게 크게 다가온다. 우리는 그 작은 존재들 앞에서 자신을 꾸미거나 이해관계를 생각하며 대하지 않는다. 사회에서 강요되는 모습이 아닌 꾸밈없는 자신의 모습을 발견한다. 우리에게 쉼을 주기도 하고, 꾸밈없는 온전한 자아를 발견하게도 만들며 위안을 얻는 대상이 되기도 한다. 하지만 현실 그 자체의 이미지를 통해서는 깊이 사유되지 못하기 때문에 작품에서는 크기의 변화를 통해 낯설게 보기의 방법으로 상징성을 극대화하며 환영을 성취한다.
작품의 배경이 되는 도시의 풍경과 빛들은 현실에서 일어날 법한 이미지. 가상 현실에 대한 중심을 잡아주는 역할을 한다. 판타지는 현실이 아니지만 그렇다고 마냥 허구여서는 안된다. 우리가 알고 있고 공감이 가능한 현실에서 사람들은 또 다른 경험을 하고 현실에서의 결핍을 위로받을 수 있다.
관상어를 주제로 한 ‘Afterglow’의 작품들은 꿈과 쉼을 위한 이야기를 하고 있다. 끊임없이 꾸며진 자신을 보여주며 타인의 시선에서 자신을 확인하고 있는 우리는 현실에서의 어항 속 관상어와 비슷하다. 어항 속에서 사는 관상어는 항상 화려한 겉모습을 보이지만 어항 속에 평생을 갇혀 살아간다. 그리고 관상어 중에서는 사람의 상상 이상으로 자랄 수 있는 관상어가 있는데 어항에서 자라게 되면 어항의 크기만큼만 성장하는 관상어가 있다. 사람들 또한 무한한 가능성이 있을지라도 여러 외부요인에 스스로 한계를 만들어 틀 안에 가두어 버리는 경우가 있다.
그러나 작품 속 관상어는 거대하며 물 밖의 공간을 부유하는 자유로운 존재가 된다. 작은 어항에 맞춰 성장을 멈추지도 않고 물 밖을 나오면 살 수 없는 관상어의 한계를 벗어난 존재로 떠다닌다. 부자연스럽지만 자연스러운 풍경 속 한계가 없는 존재로 변모된 관상어를 바라보며 바쁘고 고된 삶에 사색의 기회와 꿈을 잃고 살아가는 현대인들에게 잠시일지라도 마음에 여운이 남는 작품이 되길 바라는 마음으로 ‘Afterglow’의 시리즈를 통해 희망의 메시지를 남긴다.