Insane Park

Artist Recreates Popular Figures

"Why So Serious?" by Insane Park / Courtesy of Gallery GodoBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Portraits of famous figures such as Albert Einstein, James Dean, Kim Il-sung, Osama bin Laden and Heath Ledger line the walls of Shinhan Gallery, in Gwanghwamun, downtown Seoul.

From afar, the art works look like the grainy, lined images of old black-and-white television screens. But upon a closer look, one realizes the pieces are made out of black TV cable.

Korean artist Insane Park created portraits of these widely recognizable figures for his on-going exhibition ``The Attack by Media.''

In an interview with The Korea Times at the gallery last week, Park said the works are his reaction to the dominating influence of the mass media in today's society.

``I use well-known images of famous people in the media. I would see all these images of famous people from the television every day. We see it even though we don't want to. We don't even know much about these people, who we see on TV, in movies and in music. I feel very much `attacked' by these images when I see them,'' he said.


“Che” by Insane Park / Courtesy of Gallery GodoPark graduated from Art College, Kyeonggi University with a degree in Western Painting in 2008. Initially, he was using more traditional materials, such as acrylic paint, for his works. Last year, he started experimenting with coaxial cable.

He would place the black cable on boards' surfaces and then proceed to cut, fray and grind the surfaces of the cable, slowly uncovering the wires underneath to create a portrait. It would take about a week to finish a medium-sized work, and more than two weeks for a large one.

Park counts Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol and Marcel Duchamp as his artistic influences. His portraits are based on iconic images of prominent people and fictional characters, such as screen legend Marilyn Monroe, rap star Eminem and Superman's alter ego, Clark Kent.

In ``Why So Serious,'' he recreated the grotesque face of the Joker, as played by the late Australian actor Heath Ledger in the film ``Dark Knight.'' The title refers to the Joker's famous quote.

Another piece combines two contrasting figures, the saintly Mother Teresa and Japanese porn star Sora Aoi.

Art critic Chang Suk-won praised Park's work, saying it is ``notable in that it realistically reveals ways of contemporary life to pursue the meaning of one's existence in the flood of images (from the media).''

Park, whose real name is Young-duck, decided to change his first name to Insane when he became an artist. ``There was already a gallery with the same name (Park Young-duck) and I didn't like that. I chose the name `Insane' because it means crazy. I'm usually normal and ordinary, but when I start working on my art, I become brave and crazy,'' he said.

``And people will remember an artist with a name like Insane,'' Park added, with a small smile.

Park's first solo exhibition, which is part of the 2009 Shinhan Bank's Young Artist Festa, runs through April 25. Admission is free.

To get there, get off Gwanghwamun Station, Line 5, Exit 6. The gallery is located at the Shinhan Bank building next to Koreana Hotel. Visit www.shinhanmuseum.co.kr or call (02) 722-8493.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr