Hyangmok Baik
Recently, Park Seo-bo, a renowned Korean painter, passed away. His 2021 letters to his wife have now been unveiled, and I’d like to share some of them. WORDS BY HYANGMOK BAIK. SEOUL. SOUTH KOREA.
“Now I am 90 years old, and you are 82. We find ourselves in a situation where we’re stuck together every day, not even having time to write. Will this letter be my last? If so, I must express this: Thank you for being by my side all these years.”
In my youth, my mother encouraged me to keep a daily diary. As a 10-year-old, it didn’t bother me too much. I could easily remember the day’s events in my head. However, jotting them down proved more of a hassle and a challenge. That’s when I, as a child, decided to depict images that came to mind instead of writing down daily occurrences. I cherished my mother’s smile as she gazed at my artwork, finding significance in what transpired each day and the thoughts I held. That’s how it all started, my artwork.
At times, I embark on a painting after completing a meticulous sketch. Other times, I commence work spontaneously. The commonality among all my paintings, at their inception, is that they start with the application of various colours to a blank canvas, without adhering to any rules or methods.
Travelers who are just starting their trip today, students art, lovers on a date, and even people who have just ended their relationship today. Thanks to this, I get a lot of inspiration sitting in my studio and looking at them through the window.
