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Dramatic Dualities and Emotional Entanglements Unfold in the Metaphysical Realm of Moonassi’s ‘Murmures’ — Colossal

February 25, 2024 - Art



Art
Illustration

#drawing
#emotions
#ink
#Moonassi

February 23, 2024

Kate Mothes

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures. Both figures have their hands wrapped around one of their heads.

“Please take care of this” (2023), meok and acrylic on hanji, 92 x 72 centimeters. All images © Moonassi, shared with permission

Pensive faces, ambiguous light sources, and mysterious spaces characterize the atmospheric drawings of Moonassi, whose solo exhibition Murmures at Vazieux Gallery delves into the surreal world of memory and emotions.

In black-and-white ink and acrylic, the Seoul-based artist cross-hatches figurative scenes onto Korean hanji paper, portraying deep contrasts, dualities, and tensions. Rich, black shadows reveal glowing hands and faces, exploring relationships between light and dark, awareness and the unconscious, presence and absence, and the known and unknown.

Moonassi uses meok, a type of traditional Korean inkstick ground against a stone with water to produce a liquid medium. The meditative process of preparing the ink helps the artist focus on the task at hand and concentrate on each step.

Describing his work as “mind illustration,” Moonassi’s pieces focus on pairs or twins in uncanny situations like tending to a flame inside one of their heads, peering into a void, or tying their arms together with string. His subjects represent psychological and spiritual dichotomies that exist both within individuals and in relationships, creating a dreamlike world which invites myriad interpretations.

Murmures continues in Paris through February 24. See more on Moonassi’s website.

 

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures, portraying one leaning over the other, whose head holds a candle.

“Keep you burning” (2023), meok and acrylic on hanji, 92 x 72 centimeters

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures leaping into an uncertain space, their shadows in the distance.

“Dive into uncertainty” (2023), meok and acrylic on hanji, 92 x 72 centimeters

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures whose heads are merging into one.

“Superposition X” (2024), meok and acrylic on hanji, 48 x 34.5 centimeters

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures kneeling on the ground and peering into a mysterious, round void.

“Seeing alone together” (2024), meok and acrylic on hanji, 142 x 102 centimeters

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures tying their wrists together with string using their mouths.

“Tie the knot” (2024), meok and acrylic on hanji, 102 x 142 centimeters

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures kneeling on the ground, peering at some light in their open palms.

“Light we found” (2024), meok and acrylic on hanji, 142 x 102 centimeters

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures kneeling in front of one another, with white, ghostly figures merging into each of them, embracing.

“Two times two” (2024), meok and acrylic on hanji, 142 x 102 centimeters

A black-and-white ink drawing of two figures standing back to back, peering at their hands, which appear to emit light.

“Light we prepared” (2024), meok and acrylic on hanji, 93 x 119 centimeters

#drawing
#emotions
#ink
#Moonassi

 

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