Mun-gi Yang, born in Gwang-Ju in South Korea, graduated from Faculty of Fine Arts at Chosun University. In 2012, sculptor-artist presented his exhibition Story of Luxury Stone at Okgwa Art Museum in South Korea. Although it seems like these Luxury stones are at first parodic objects of Chinese counterfeit handbags of famous brands, such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel, they go beyond a simple imitation or representation of these objects. Through the characteristics of stone-made items, the useful function of bag disappeared. The object loses its useful features and is now transformed into a symbol, an icon.

Biography

Mun-gi Yang, born in Gwang-Ju in South Korea, graduated from Faculty of Fine Arts at Chosun University.

In 2012, sculptor-artist presented his exhibition Story of Luxury Stone at Okgwa Art Museum in South Korea. This exhibition revealed a specific attention, which gives significance and symbolism to luxury handbag by exploiting the aesthetics of stone. In this exhibition, 45 works interrogate the nature of object and of human beings, as well as question the structure of social mechanisms in developing the contemporary desire. Although it seems like these Luxury stones are at first parodic objects of Chinese counterfeit handbags of famous brands, such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel, they go beyond a simple imitation or representation of these objects. Through the characteristics of stone-made items, the useful function of bag disappeared. The object loses its useful features and is now transformed into a symbol, an icon. Only the desire of possession, which related to each brand’s unique visual identity, is kept. The desire here is sublimated by the stone, polished and carved as jewel on the one hand, and its untamed nature and timeless peculiarity for statuary tradition on the other. This diversion carries thus both the modern luxury items and material. The weight of Luxury stones suggests the massive and fetishist characteristics of luxury consumption in Asia, at once the human sacrifices involving the production process and acquisition of luxury goods. These works question the deaf persistence, through the modern market economy, the stress and imperative of being successful in the society.

“For me as a sculptor, stone as a material has the attribute of heaviness, hardness, or roughness, To me, a sculptor, a stone as a material has an attribute from heaviness, hardness, and roughness of square stones to round smoothness occurring in the flow of time, so it is a very good material to express the desire and energy of the inside within the category of this property. By the intervention of behaviors of cutting, making a hole, and polishing in the process of producing works, that is, by combining the desire and energy change of myself into the formation of works through behaviors of treating properties, finally it intends to change into the works consistent with my constitution and sense. In this point, I am fascinated by the fact that the nature of stone is held and delivered to spectators.”

Mun-gi Yang


Video

Process of creation : Find Mun-gi Yang at his studio in Korea, click here!

Virtual visit :  solo show 2018, click here! 

Performance at Centre Pompidou in Paris, France, Cliquez ici

Career

EXPOSITIONS INDIVIDUELLES 

2018
ROCKS, Galerie LOFT, Paris, France

2014
LUXURY STONE, Galerie Marie Laure de l’Ecotais, Paris, France

2012
STORY OF LUXURY STONE, Musée d’art d’Okgwa, Corée du Sud

2010
LUXURY STONE, Gallery Gowol, Corée du Sud

2009
LUXURY STONE, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Seoul, Corée du Sud

2007
Story of stone and luxury products, Lotte gallery, Gwang-ju, Corée du Sud

1999
Yang Mun-Gi's Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition, Buk-gu Office, Gwang-ju, Corée du Sud


EXPOSITIONS DE GROUPE (sélection)

2019
Sélection LOFT, Galerie LOFT, Paris, France

2014
Art Paris, Galerie LOFT, Grand Palais, Paris, France
Construire la vie et fabriquer, Galerie Shinsegae, Gwang-ju, Corée du Sud

2013
LOFTISSIMES, Galerie LOFT, Paris, France
Performance L’exposition ludique dans la rue, Paris, France
Performance L’exposition ludique dans la rue, Lyon, France

2012
MIRACLE D’ART, Galerie AK, Suwon, Korea
PROGRÈS. TRANSPERCER, Musée d’Art de  Gwang Ju, Gwang-ju, Corée du Sud
VOGUE MOMENT, MoA (Seoul National University Museum of Art), Séoul, Corée du Sud

2011
ART EN CAPITAL, Grand Palais, Paris, France
SNBA 2011, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
ROUTE D’ART 77 – AVEC ART, AVEC ARTISTE !, Galerie Hangil, Corée du Sud
ARTISTE MARQUE, GAMO Gallery, Corée du sud
PIERRE JARDIN, Lotte Gallery, Corée du sud

2010
SNBA 2010, Carrousel du Louvre, Paris, France
SUPER HÉROS : MODE & FANTAISIE, Lotte Avenuel, Séoul, Corée du sud
LUXURY, Musée culturel de l’université de Dongshin, Naju, Corée du sud

2009
ART & JOUER –ART EN SUPERSTAR, Centre d’art de Séoul, Séoul, Corée du sud
BluedotAsia, Centre d’art de Seoul, Séoul, Corée du sud
SOAF (Seoul Open Art Fair), Park Ryu Sook Gallery, KOEX, Séoul, Corée du sud
Foire d’Art de Korea Galleries, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, BEXCO, Busan, Corée du sud

2008
Zero base. Action. Art, Market of Deain, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
KIAF (Foire d’art International en Corée du sud), Park Ryu Sook Gallery, KOEX, Séoul, Corée du sud
ART Singapore 2008 Fair, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Suntec, Singapour
Sh Contemporary, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Centre d’Exposition de Shanghai, Shanghai, Chine
Asia Top Gallery Hotel Art Fair 2008, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Tokyo, Japon
SOAF (Seoul Open Art Fair), Park Ryu Sook Gallery, KOEX, Séoul, Corée du sud
UN PRÉLUDE DU MAI, Musée d’Art de Gwang-ju, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Foire d’Art de Korea Galleries, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, BEXCO, Busan, Corée du sud

2007
NY ACAF(Foire d’Art Contemporain d’Asie), Park Ryu Sook Gallery, NY, U.S.A.
SOAF(Seoul Open Art Fair), Park Ryu Sook Gallery, KOEX, Séoul, Corée du sud
Foire d’Art Daegu, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, EXCO, Daegu, Corée du sud
Sh contemporary, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Centre d’Exposition de Shanghai, Shanghai, Chine
Seoul Art Fair, Park Ryu Sook Gallery, Seoul Arts Center, Séoul, Corée du sud
A field of Gwang-ju Art, Gwang-ju Museum of Art, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
STUDION CRÉATIF, Museum of Gwang-ju ,Musée d’art de Kumnamro, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
CONCEPTION + RIEN, Musée d’Art d’Okwa, Korea
Il y a des artistes proches de nous à la festival Open Studio, Lotte Gallery, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Open Studio 3, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Look at an Ancestor Worship Ceremony of Dragon and Chinese Phoenix, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
HUTTE, Musée de l’Université de Chosun, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Beakhak Sculpture Society, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Namdo Sculpture Society, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud

2006
Art orchestra, Gwang-ju Biennale, Musée d’Art de Gwang-ju, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Artists Going to the Department Store - Shocking, Shocking, Gwangju Lotte Gallery, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Exposition inaugurale du Musée d’Art de Gwangju, Yangsan-dong, Studio de production, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Sea Art Exhibition, Busan Biennale, Busan, Corée du sud
FLEUR ET PAPILLON, Musée de Janwon, Ham-Pyung, Junlanam-do, Corée du sud
AU-DELÀ DE LA GÉNÉRATION DES ANNÉES 60, FUTURE ET FUTURE, Galerie d’Art de l’Université de Chosun, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Open Studio Festival, Sinsaegae Gallery, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Environmental Art Exhibition - Outing to Forest, Okgwa Art Museum & Lotte Gallery, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
From Expressing, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Museum Cabaret, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud

2005
Centre Vidéo de Gwangju - Sajik Park Pigion Exposition, Gwangju Video Center, Gwang-ju,  Corée du sud
Artists Going to the Department Store - Shocking, Shocking, Gwangju Lotte Gallery, Gwang-ju,  Corée du sud
Environmental Art Exhibition, Okgwa Museum & Lotte Gallery, Gwang-ju,  Corée du sud
Projetant et Participant au Gwangju Biennale Docent Exhibition, Okgwa Museum, Gwang-ju,  Corée du sud

2004
Joyful Imaginative Exhibition (Yang Mun-Gi, Jo Gwang-Seok), Gwangju Lotte Gallery, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
An Bin Nak Do Exhibition (quatre artistes), Musée d’Art d’Okgwa, Okgwa, Grand Prix National, Corée du sud
Exposition régulière de l’Association Nationale de Sculpture
New Meeting, Galerie d’Art de l’Université de Chosun, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud
Fusion Exhibition, Ilgok Library, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud

2003
Power Exhibition, Inje Gallery, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud

2002
Exposition des jeunes artistes pour l’ouverture de la Galerie Sang, Gallery Sang, Séoul, Corée du sud
Power Point Exhibition, Inje Gallery, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud


PRIX ET RÉCOMPENSES :

2006
Sélectionnée en tant qu’artiste pour l’exposition Mobilier public à la Biennale de Busan
Membre du Comité de la culture et de l’art de Gwang-Ju

2000
Grand Prix national de la sculpture

1998
Grand Prix national d’arts (non-figuratif)

1997
Grand Prix national d’arts (non-figuratif)
Prix spécial de la grande cérémonie de la Galerie Hangaram
Prix de la Galerie Sang

1996
Prix d’excellence du musée d’art de la ville de Séoul
Prix spécial de l’exposition de la sculpture contemporaine à Séoul


COLLECTIONS:
Musée d’art d’Okgwa, Jeollanam-do, Corée du sud
Musée d’art de Gwang-ju, Gwang-ju, Corée du sud