A pair of grid pattern works can be found behind the information desk on the 9th floor of L7 GANGNAM. From a distance, it looks like golden, ancient hieroglyphics. It is the work of artist Bahk Seon-ghi. As implied by its title, An Aggregation reveals the construction of a single, solid entity by cohesively putting together numerous individual parts. On closer examination, the squares containing different stories made of charcoal are elevated into a remarkable piece through aggregation.

Individual units, which retain their original shape, are scattered and refined into a four-sided figure within which a natural order exists. The work’s medium of charcoal exists in and of itself while also being an illusion, having already vanished as a by-product of a circular plant. The artist repeatedly reworks the cyclical significance and amorphous form of charcoal to produce a new logical order that exists within the clutter.

An installation artist and a pioneer of Asian contemporary art, Bahk Seon-Ghi is currently one of the most prominent contemporary artists in Korea. His work takes many forms, from installations featuring materials such as charcoal, stone, or acrylic beads hung from invisible wires, to sculptures that make use of painting techniques and perspective.

He earned recognition first in Europe, including Italy, when he was invited as a student to special Arsenale exhibitions in Venice. In 2005, he was named “Artist of the Year” by the Kim Chong Yung Museum, one of the highest honors that can be bestowed on a Korean sculptor. In 2006, he received the Kim Chong Yung Sculpture Award, garnering even more attention. An artist who has consistently ruminated on the themes of past and present, reality and illusion, and how they relate to one another, through his hanging installations that express both Eastern and Western sensibilities, Bahk continues to present his work internationally in critically acclaimed collections.