Exhibition view of Jeongsu Woo’s solo exhibition "Palindrome" at BB&M, Seoul. (November 5, 2022 – December 17, 2022). © BB&M.Until December 17, BB&M, located in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, is presenting Palindrome, a solo exhibition of 15 new works by Jeongsu Woo (b. 1986). Woo deconstructs and reorganizes images from contemporary subcultures such as graffiti, cartoons, and speculative fiction, as well as juxtaposing iconic patterns and motifs from mythology, religion, philosophy, and paintings.
A palindrome is a word, phrase, or sequence that reads the same forward and backward, such as “mom” and “dad.” In Greek mythology, Narcissus falls in love with his own reflection. Woo uses the concept of a palindrome and the story of Narcissus to reflect contemporary society’s obsession with the self, where we constantly chase the illusion of ourselves. Motifs of Narcissus and daffodils can be found frequently. The daffodil is a flower that grows along the banks of streams and rivers, where Narcissus met his tragic end.
The circulation is also revealed in the repeating decorative patterns that serve as backgrounds in Woo’s paintings. These floral motifs mimic high-end interior designs and are frequently used as wallpaper in low-cost entertainment venues such as karaoke and accommodations in Korea. The patterns reflect the illusory aspirations of the middle class for the upper social strata, which seems like an unsubstantial aspiration.
Exhibition view of Jeongsu Woo’s solo exhibition "Palindrome" at BB&M, Seoul. (November 5, 2022 – December 17, 2022). Photo by Aproject Company.Jeongsu Woo has held solo exhibitions at Doosan Gallery (Seoul and New York, 2020), Kumho Museum of Art (Seoul, 2018), and OCI Museum of Art (Seoul, 2016). Woo’s works have been featured in group exhibitions at Culture Station Seoul 284 (Seoul, 2022), the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Gwacheon, 2021), the Ilmin Museum of Art (Seoul, 2021), the Seoul Museum of Art (Seoul, 2019), the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Cheongju, 2019), the Gwangju Biennale (Gwangju, 2018), and the Asian Culture Center (Gwangju, 2018). Woo’s works are in the collections of the Kumho Museum of Art (Seoul), Mimesis Art Museum (Paju), Doosan Art Center (Seoul), and Blackstone Group (Seoul/New York).
