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.

 

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.