"Around the Paintings," was a curated tasting event at Gallery Chang NY that celebrated Korean heritage, art and culture. Centered on the works of artist Cho Yong Ik, his oeuvre was highlighted by thoughtful pairings with curated rice wine from Hana Makgeolli, an artisanal brewery and a selection of small bites from MissKOREA BBQ.
It is widely accepted that Cho Yong Ik is one of the most important figures of Korean abstraction, having represented the country at various Biennales and with definitive retrospectives at key institutions, including Olivier Malingue in London, and Edouard Malingue in Hong Kong as well as Han Gallery and Sungkok Gallery in Seoul. A leading figure of the Dansaekhwa movement, a Korean artistic movement of the 1970s, the works of Ik and his contemporaries within the movement wed Eastern philosophy with Western minimalism.
Attendees were delighted to learn of the breadth of Ik's work, Gallery Chang's collection spans decades from his collection --including his abstract figures, acrylic dot paintings, and wave series. The pieces vary in size, method and emotive evocation, but they are united in their meditative quality. The essence of Cho Yong Ik's abstract language was translated first by a pairing of Hyunmi Takju, a dry and medium bodied wine with notes of warm chestnut and earth. While sipping, viewers observed the Textural Grey Painting, noting how the subtle variations present in the wine mirrored those in the painting. This was enjoyed with Korean pancakes, buchimgae, which has a visual texture that mirrors the texture of the painting.
The following pairing was Ik's Pastel Geometric Abstraction works with Omija Makgeolli, which is medium dry, effervescent with notes of pink peppercorn and citrus. These paintings are more structured than the prior, teasing images of men in period attire, though nothing feels rigid or dominant in these figures --whose faces and hands remain unpainted. As with Ik's other paintings, meaning is not overt and the work operates through balance and restraint. Notably, these paintings make use of the traditional five korean colors "obangsaek," which is why we paired it with the five berry flavor profile of Omija Makgeolli. To balance the wine, the light bite was hwajeon, a korean flower pancake. The soft texture and delicate floral notes of the pancake complemented the oil painting's tonal sensitivity, reinforcing their sense of harmony.
Our third pairing was Takju 16, a heavy bodied and near dry wine with floral and fruity notes of melon, green apple and banana and bulgogi salad. The contrast of the flavors of the wine and the beef salad mirrored the contrast in the painting, which was the most colorful work in the collection on display. This moment was the evening's anchor, offering substance and warmth in both flavor and form. Structural Color Field Painting is oil on canvas, created in 1966.
The final pairing was Hwaju 12, a light, dry earthy wine with bright lactic acid, paired with Gyeongdan, which are glutinous rice cakes filled with red bean paste. Our dessert was made even sweeter by the sight of Cho Yong Ik's Wave Series, which, like the food and wine pairing, benefit from their restraint. Each "wave" depicted on the surface of the varying canvas represents a repeated flick of Ik's wrist, suggesting technical exertion on the artist's part --and yet observing these works gives the opposite feeling, a sense of calm. To close the evening with these works left attendees in a state of joyful reflection, having had a thoughtful and tasty experience with us here at Gallery Chang. We look forward to the next.
-Celestina C Billington, Program & Workshops Coordinator, Gallery Chang