SEOUL: G-Dragon (pic) has been many things — K-pop legend, fashion icon, one-man brand — but rarely a subject of a work of art. At JN Gallery in Gangnam, southern Seoul, a sculpture derived from the singer's voice now stands 170 centimetres tall, cast in resin and steel and lit from within by LEDs.
Named "PEACEMINUSONE" after the star's fashion brand, the artwork is the centerpiece of a solo exhibition by Korean artist Lee Kwan-young. The vertical column of light began with an in-person meeting, where Lee recorded G-Dragon's voice and extracted its waveform.
For Lee, sound is something to be caught and fixed in solid form before it goes away. The Seoul-based artist has rendered the voices of well-known figures like Barack Obama, John Lennon and the late Cardinal Kim Sou-hwan into physical objects over the years, guided by his belief that "words have a soul."
The G-Dragon piece shares space with four other works, including a 255-centimetre sculpture built from the sound of waves from the east coastal city of Gangneung, where Lee spent three years recuperating from an illness in his 20s.
Another, "Stay Healthy," was made from his mother's voice and soil from the orchard she used to farm.
"ECHOES" runs through Oct. 24. - The Korea Herald/ANN
