Among them, the solo exhibition of JUNG Kangja, the only Asian artist selected, is presented by Arario Gallery (Booth MW4). As the leading Asian contemporary gallery, Arario Gallery showcases a variety of her works in this exhibition. JUNG Kangja is regarded as the first generation of Korean avant-garde female artists. JUNG Kangja challenges traditional concepts and known for provocative works on gender politics, her art sparks social dialogue through a variety of formative and experimental art.
This solo exhibition includes her early installation work "To Repress", which is a metaphor for the oppression of women and considers the complex relationship between gender ideology and politics in South Korea at that time. However, she was forced to move to Singapore because her solo exhibition was considered to have socially critical elements. After studying batik in Singapore, she created self-portraits that explore her identity as a female artist. The artist uses dyed cloth as the stage for her vibrant figurative paintings—such as The Room in Singapore, a self-portrait that illustrates her inner conflicts and instability in a foreign land. The artist then traveled to Africa and South America to find the visual language for his artistic creation. This exhibition re-examines JUNG’s development as a female artist while revealing her long, relatively unknown artistic explorations.