Wonkang Cho

b.1959, Korea

60세 중반을 돌진하는 나이에도 불구하고 왕성하게 작업하는, 영원한 현역, 조원강, 그가 늘 부럽다. ‘불구하고’라는 표현은 사실 적절치 않다. 유명세를 구가한 화가들의 대부분은 수명이 다하는 직전까지 붓을 놓지 않았다. 창작 욕구를 끝내 멈추지 않았고 오히려 활화산처럼 토해내고 발산했다. 조원강, 그 역시, 앞으로도 언제나 현재진행형일 것이다. 이토록 그가 집요하고 활달하게 그리고 치밀하게 작업에 몰두하는 것은 가히 생래적이다. 그동안 그는 고현학자처럼 묵묵히 작업에 전념해 왔다. 외유내강 같은 것. 그러니까 그의 내면은 그가 조형할 세계와 대면해서 치열하게 투쟁하지만, 부드럽고 기품있는 태도를 유지해 왔다. 그래서 그의 성정은 은연하다.

Cho Won Kang is an artist who, despite heading into his mid 60s, does not cease to actively create works. We may call him an everlasting active-duty personnel. I have always been envious of his fervour. Come to think of it, the word “despite” is not appropriate in this instant. Almost all great artists are known to have continued painting until the end of their days, erupting like a volcano and releasing all that they had left in them to their art. Likewise, Cho too will continue to dedicate everything to his practice. It is quite natural for him to work so meticulously and tenaciously. In the past, he devoted himself to his practice as though he were a modernologist. One can describe him as ‘an iron hand in the velvet glove’. He struggled to confront the world which he was to bring to life through his works while maintaining a soft and elegant attitude. His subtle demeanour is an obvious result of this.

WORKS

[N Gallery 앤갤러리] 이미지 8_조원강, Relationship 2025-03.jpg

CV

Relationship 2022-03

2022

Rush 2016-I

2016

Relationship 2025-03

2025

EDUCATION
M.F.A., School of Visual Arts, New York, NY.
M.F.A., Painting Department, College of Fine Arts, Hongik University. Seoul, Korea
B.F.A., Painting Department, College of Fine Arts, Hongik University. Seoul, Korea

Seoul Arts High School. Seoul, Korea

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024 Nostalgia, Eternally Present. SONGWON ART CENTER, Seoul
Beyond the frame. Ferrum C.C. Yeoju
2023 Art Without Excuse. Gallery MARK, Seoul
KIAF SEOUL 2023. COEX, Seoul
ART BUSAN 2023. BEXCO, Busan
KOREA GALLERIES ART FAIR. COEX, Seoul
2021 The Gaze: Feeling a Sense of Attachment, Forming a Narrative. Gallery aHsh, Heyri Art Valley
The Gaze and The Artistic Masterpiece. Peace zone Art center Gosung
Relationship-2021. Gallery Gong, Ilsan
2020 Ways of seeing. Gallery Gong, Ilsan
KOREA GALLERIES ART FAIR, COEX, Seoul
2019 The Gaze and The Artistic Masterpiece. Gallery MARK, Seoul
ARTAIPEI 2019, Taipei World Trade Center, Taipei
KIAF 2019 / ART SEOUL, COEX, Seoul
ART BUSAN 2019, BEXCO, Busan
2018 KIAF 2018 / ART SEOUL, COEX, Seoul
Seoul Modern Art Show, “ART; PLAY, GROUND“, Seoul Art Center, Seoul
The 36th KOREA GALLERIES ART FAIR, COEX, Seoul
2017 Nostalgia-Color / Gallery MANO, Seoul

2017 TWIG DRAWINGS / YAKIN, Seoul
KIAF 2017 / ART SEOUL, COEX, Seoul
2016 Nostalgia / Gallery MARK, Seoul
Gallery O, Seoul
KIAF 2016 / ART SEOUL, COEX, Seoul
Seoul Modern Art Show, “We are animalier”, Seoul Art Center, Seoul
2015 Gallery Ahsh, Seoul
KIAF 2015 / ART SEOUL, COEX, Seoul
ART BUSAN 2015, BEXCO, Busan
2014 24th Cheongdam Art Fair, Seoul
ARTSHOW BUSAN 2014, BEXCO, Busan
2013 Gallery MARK, Seoul
23rd Cheongdam Art Fair, Seoul
Art Taipei 2013, Taipei World Trade Cener, Exhibition Hall One, Taipei
KIAF/13, COEX, Seoul
Hong Kong Contemporary Art Fair, Hong Kong
Relationship. Gangneung Museum of art, Gangneung
Relationship. Gallery Mano, Seoul
2012 Relationship. Gangneung Museum of art, Gangneung
Relationship. Gallery Mano, Seoul
1998 Dataphilia, Visual Arts Gallery, New York
1994 CHO WONKANG. Icon Gallery, Seoul
1990 CHO WONKANG. Battanggol Gallery, Seoul
1989 CHO WONKANG. Battanggol Gallery, Seoul
1988 CHO WONKANG. Battanggol Gallery, Seoul
1984 CHO WONKANG. Yoon Gallery, Seoul

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS

2023
Seoul Arts High School 70th Anniversary Exhibition / Art Eternal Light. Doam Gallery, Seoul Art Center, Seoul
Works on Contempory Life. Gallery MARK, Seoul
The 45th Exhibition of The Korean Watercolor Painters Group. Gallery Johyung, Seoul
2022
Impulse / Kim B Jin, Shin H Chul, Cho W Kang. N-Gallery, Bundang
Very Nice 2. Gangdong Art Center, Seoul
The 9th Invited Artist Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
The 44th Exhibition of The Korean Watercolor Painters Group. Gallery Johyung, Seoul
The 19th Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
2020
2020 Hongik Art Fair. Conrad Seoul Grand ballroom, Seoul
The 8th Invited Artist Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
2019
7940. ART SPACE HOSEO, Seoul
SEE THIS PAINTINGS. Art Spaces Nanum
The 7th Invited Artist Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
2019 Hongik Art Fair. Conrad Seoul Grand ballroom, Seoul
2018
The 6th Invited Artist Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
Hongik Art Fair. Conrad Seoul Grand ballroom, Seoul
The 14th Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
2017
The 5th Invited Artist Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
The 40th Exhibition of The Korean Watercolor Painters Group. Gallery Johyung, Seoul
2016
2016 Alma Mater-2. Gana Art Center, Seoul
College of Fine Arts Faculty Special Exhibition. Chung Pa gallery, Seoul
The Exhibitions of White. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul

The 4th Invited Artist Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
The 39th Exhibition of The Korean Watercolor Painters Group. Gallery Chosunilbo, Seoul
2015
2015 The Exhibitions of Aficionado Artists. Gallery Toon, Choonchun
2015 Visiting Whachun art gallery. Whachun
The 11th Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Hanjean Art Center, Seoul
Hongik Art Fair. Best Western Seoul Mapo Garden Hotel, Seoul
The 38th Exhibition of The Korean Watercolor Painters Group. Gallery Johyung, Seoul
2014

The Exhibitions of New Vision. Choi, Jung Ah gallery, Seoul
The 10th Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Seoul Museum of art, Seoul
Thank You! 20 x 20. Gallery Mano, Seoul
Hongik Art Fair. Seoul Lotte Hotel, Seoul
2013
The 9th Exhibitions of Seoul Fine Arts Association. Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul
The Exhibitions of Art Eternal Light. Seoul Art Center, Seoul
The Exhibitions of MULTIPLE DREAMS. Gangneung Museum

PROJECT

2023 Google’s Artist in Residence (AIR) program, Google’s Seoul office, Seoul

2022 Kakao Talk, Klip Drops, Nvir Market

AWARDS

1998 ‘3rd prize’, QuickTime VR Authoring Studio Contest. Apple Computer, Inc, US
1991 Grand Prize, The 10th Korea Grand Art Exhibition. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art