Oh Se-Yeol's Brushstrokes of Wonder: Capturing Childhood Dreams

Oh Se-Yeol's Brushstrokes of Wonder: Capturing Childhood Dreams

Filled with repetitive digits with spontaneous scribbles and everyday objects on canvas, Korean master Oh Se-Yeol’s works are now showcasing in Soluna Fine Art. He invites viewers to embark on a nostalgic journey, reconnecting with the innocence and wonder of their childhood experiences.
"Oh's works evoke a feeling of familiarity and intimacy originating from the old and shabby, rather than the feeling of unfamiliarity given by the new." -Go Chung-Hwan, Art Critic
Oh's works serve as a heartfelt endeavour to reignite the connection with the inner child by employing numbers, scribbles and everyday objects without conventional orders. They summon the memories of a time when instincts reigned supreme, unencumbered by societal norms.
The artist's captivating artworks feature meticulously engraved digits 1-10 on multiple layers of oil colors, adorned with playful doodles, mathematical symbols, and Korean jots. Through this artistic tapestry, Oh explores the profound relationship between digits and memories, emphasizing their universal language that transcends borders. These numbers symbolize our conscious and unconscious thoughts, connecting us to significant moments in our lives.
Installation of Oh Se-Yeol
With vibrant colors and numerical motifs, Oh's creations transport viewers through time, evoking a poignant nostalgia for carefree days when everything became a canvas for our imagination. The digits in his art encapsulate this sentiment, hinting at intangible aspects concealed within the visible.
Detail image of Oh Se-Yeol
In a departure from his previous works characterized by delicate hues and thin layers, the artist now embraces a vibrant palette of bold primary colors, generously applied with a thick impasto technique. As the colors reach a halcyon state of semi-dryness, the artist deftly wields palette knives to carve his vision onto the canvas.
Detail image of Oh Se-Yeol
To evoke the captivating allure of childhood, the eye-catching hues resonate with the joyful essence of youth, exuding a sense of brightness and vitality. Within Oh's meticulous layering of colors, the canvas transforms into a whimsical tableau reminiscent of a children's pop-up book, replete with snippets of food packaging, engraved tables concealing secrets and conversations, and blackboards adorned with the exuberant doodles of young minds.
Installation of Oh Se-Yeol
Through his artistic prowess, Oh artfully resurrects our cherished memories of childhood, inviting us to reconnect with our inner child and rediscover our purest essence. Within his creations, he weaves a sanctuary, a haven where we can shed our masks and embrace our unadulterated spirits. It is a place of solace and rejuvenation, where the storms of life dissipate, and we find refuge in the embrace of our untainted selves.
Artist Biography
Oh Se-Yeol (b. 1945 in Seoul, Korea)'s unique creations aren't confined to any type of art by using numerous materials such as oil paint, acrylic paint, conte, and gouache. He often incorporates youthful elements such as scribbles of numerical digits and collages of everyday objects into his paintings, expressing childlike innocence and purity. His works focus on personal memories rather than collective ones, inspiring audiences to interpret his works through their own imaginations and emotions.