Drawing Dialogue in Seoul:
Hoi-Rim Lee—Nothing Extra, 2019

Pencil drawing on the founder of Culture Foundation for OCI Museum Hoi-Rim Lee’s calligraphy, Korean handmade paper, Traditional mulberry paper, Acrylic stick, Ribbon and Fabric
120 x 31.5 cm

Mr. Lee Hoi-Rim is the founder of OCI Art Museum in Seoul, where I was an artist-in-residence. He diligently practiced calligraphy in his office every day. Upon the suggestion of his family, I decided to choose one of his calligraphy works, "身分無物" (meaning "Nothing Extra"), as the original piece for my ink painting.

I am quite curious about Mr. Lee's state of mind when he wrote "身分無物." As a successful entrepreneur, he lacked nothing in his lifetime. Did he aspire to a purer spiritual level when practicing calligraphy? This is why I decided to mount a very thin sheet of Hanji paper on top of the completed work, which will press against the calligraphy, pencil drawing, and mounting fabric. I want to bring all life activities back to their purest origin: nothingness.

Lastly, I added a written dialogue on the artwork using a pencil. On this Hanji paper, I wrote: "When I was ten years old, I told my father. When I grow up, I want to become an artist with no identity, and I will die on the streets. Please don't come to save me because that's how Van Gogh was." Liu Wenxuan / 2019, 12, 19 / Seoul.