Simultaneity II - Works by Suh Seung-Won

**A complimentary exhibition catalogue is available at Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd.**

Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd is very pleased to welcome internationally known Korean artist, Suh Seung-Won, in his second solo exhibition at Art Beatus, Simultaneity II. As one of the early members of the Tansaekhwa (or Dansaekhwa) movement – translated as monochrome painting, Suh the artist and his body of work hold a significant place within this history of modern art.

Tansaekhwa first rose to prominence in the 1970s to become the first internationally recognized modern art movement from Korea. Over the past few years there has been a growing resurgence of international interest in Tansaekhwa, evidenced by a string of exhibitions and auctions around the globe, and the recognition of this movement’s significance in the history of Art as well as its influence and continued relevance in contemporary art. Although Tansaekhwa is not a movement in the sense that it had a manifesto or a formally organized group of artist members with a clear objective, there are a few characteristics of Tansaekhwa. These abstract, non-representational works, as the name suggests, often have a subdued, usually neutral, colour palate. As well, there is a mechanical and performative act of repetition in the painting process, an appearance of simplicity and austerity and an experimental use of materials that lead to the emphasis on the physicality and materiality of the paintings.

The collection of paintings in Simultaneity II is a continuation of Suh Seung-Won’s decades-long Simultaneity series. From the 1970s to the early 1990s, the Simultaneity paintings featured flat planes and outlines of four-sided geometric shapes but since the 1990s, Suh has replaced these hard-edged shapes with painterly, soft-edged “rectangles”. In Suh’s work, repetition is manifested in the painterly forms and layering of paint. The different translucent layers of paint – with the “background” layers sometimes even crossing over the “foreground” rectangles – act as both revealing and concealing agents that draw the viewer in to look closer and deeper in to the work. The elements of repetition and tempered colour palette also produce a sense of meditative focus and presence, another Tansaekhwa trait. Suh’s ostensibly subdued and quiet paintings are surprisingly evocative, leaving one a sensation of an aesthetic experience.

For more information, please visit our website at www.artbeatus.com or call the gallery at 1 (604) 688-2633.

Art Beatus, with a location in Vancouver, Canada and two locations in Hong Kong, showcases international art with a focus on contemporary Chinese art. Art Beatus (Vancouver) is located in the Nelson Square Office Tower at 108 – 808 Nelson Street in Vancouver, BC.

Art Beatus (Vancouver) Consultancy Ltd. is open Monday to Friday, 10am-6pm and is closed on weekends and holidays. Underground and street parking is available. Free admission.

For more information, please contact Media Relations, Tamla Mah or Ellinda Siu by email: info@artbeatus.com or telephone: 604-688-2633.