Kwang-ho Kim, Plum Blossom – Vivid Resonance, steel and natural stone, 173x216cm, 2026

OMAE Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition by Kwang-ho Kim, titled The Sculpture of Sagunja. Kim reinterprets the traditional “Four Gracious Plants” (Sagunja)—plum blossoms, orchids, chrysanthemums, and bamboo—through a unique sculptural lens that blurs the boundaries between ink painting and three-dimensional form. By extracting the essence of traditional brushwork and translating it into steel and space, Kim offers a modern physical manifestation of the spiritual virtues long associated with these classical motifs.

At the heart of Kim’s practice is a profound ontological meditation on the “shadow.” He perceives the shadow not as a mere absence of light, but as a methodological tool to explore the core of self-existence. In his work, the shadow functions as a silent, fictional entity that remains inseparable from the self, bridging the gap between the flat surface of a painting and the tangible volume of a sculpture. Through this cycle of “reincarnation” where the plane constantly returns to the dimension of the solid, the artist expands the psychological space of the viewer, inviting a deep reflection on life and the fundamental question of identity.

Art critic Chung-hwan Ko defines Kim’s work as a redefinition of traditional ink painting into “planar sculpture.” By incorporating elements such as the rectangular frame and the intentional use of “yeobaek” (empty space), Kim’s installations oscillate between being wall-mounted paintings and freestanding sculptures. This fluid approach allows his art to traverse the boundaries of tradition and modernity, painting and installation. The result is a poetic encounter where the physical object and its cast shadow meet, transforming the gallery into a space where longing is stretched into long shadows and existence is translated into form.