2009 Between Red: Paintings

These epic paintings, rendered in great washes of red, seem simple at first glance, resembling depictions of traditional Korean landscapes; shards of white canvas contrast with painstakingly detailed fragments of a land dotted with isolated dwellings.

In fact, these are views of the mountainous terrain of the de-militarised zone between North and South Korea, giving them a political as well as a personal meaning for the artist. He describes being in this area at night while on military service: ‘I would wear night vision goggles, which coated everything in red. The forests and trees felt so fantastic and beautiful. It was unrealistic scenery filled with horror and fear, and with no possibility of entering’.