301 Nature Poem, 118-17 Cheongdam-1-dong
26th March- 24th April
Opening hours: Monday- Saturday 10am- 6pm, closed Sunday
Admission: free

Kim Sangyeon, 'Disentanglement,' Michael Schultz Gallery, Cheongdam

If you happen to find yourself in or around the Cheongdam area of Seoul, confused about which galleries to visit, I’d definitely recommend a visit to Schultz Gallery where Kim Sangyeon’s ‘Disentanglement’ is showing.

Intricately hand carved, deliciously hued, black and red lacquered, winged cows are grouped on the walls. All are presented side on, galloping toward some unseen destination, heads turned towards the viewer. They are all roughly the same size and are in small groupings, some overlaid on top of others whilst some have have even broken free from the confines of the gallery walls so that you can walk underneath them. All cows are very similar, yet their carvings are unique. Kim Sangyeon has painstakingly laboured on these mythical looking beasts: chipping, scraping, scooping and hollowing. They are crafted and lacquered to a rough but absolutely charming perfection.

Beautiful as they are, I needed a hand in deciphering what these cows stood for. They seem mythical, even heavenly as you walk under them. These big, heavy animals which we consider to be stupid and nothing but meat to us, have been given wings and therefore freed from the stresses and strains of modern life which we are all victim of. Wouldn’t it be great to take a step back from all of this, perhaps even into simpler times past, as these cows have done, and disentangle oneself? I know that I for one would love that.

However, in this modern age, I’m not convinced that it’s that easy. I do appreciate the sentiment though. It’s certainly worth taking a moment to disentangle yourself from the bustling hyper fashion conscious streets of Cheongdam and stepping into the calm space of Schultz Gallery to behold these wonderful sky bourne lacquered joys.

Please refer to http://www.schultzgallery.co.kr for more information and directions.