ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL Presents UM Tai-Jung’s Solo Exhibition: “World Worlds”
From June 18 to August 2, 2025, ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL showcases the solo exhibition “World Worlds” by renowned sculptor UM Tai-Jung (b. 1938). This exhibition features 27 artworks, including rare sculptures from the 1970s, alongside recent paintings, drawings, and sculptures, offering a deep dive into UM’s creative vision and philosophical approach.
UM Tai-Jung’s sculptures transcend traditional form-making. They function as artistic gateways that reveal the world’s essence and provoke thoughtful reflection on existence, beauty, and the meaning of “dwelling.” His work explores how beings, objects, time, and space intersect dynamically within a uniquely ordered universe.
Throughout his career, UM has engaged deeply with metal materials such as iron, copper, and aluminum, infusing each piece with a sense of temporality and spiritual depth. Early in his career, iron’s rawness inspired powerful sculptures. Later, he shifted to copper, bronze, and aluminum, expanding his sculptural vocabulary to express meditations on space, time, and the flow of existence.
This exhibition emphasizes UM’s philosophy that sculpture constructs living spaces—sanctuaries for contemplation where humans can dwell in harmony with nature and cosmos. The artworks connect Eastern philosophy with a material-spiritual balance, inviting viewers into poetic realms beyond mere physical forms.
The title, “World Worlds,” draws inspiration from Martin Heidegger’s concept that the world is not static but continuously emerges through relationships between humans, objects, time, and place. UM embodies this idea, using sculpture to reveal the ongoing creation of being amid concealment and revelation. His works open open spaces for thought and existence, demonstrating sculpture’s power to both start worlds and unveil truths.
Highlighted pieces such as The Stranger’s Sanctuary series employ metaphoric “silver veils” to symbolize cosmic order and beauty that emerges through mystery and concealment. These sculptures become sanctuaries where spiritual presence and aesthetic insight meet.
In addition, works like A Thousand Brilliant reflect Buddhist worldviews and spiritual layers, linking UM’s art to historic sacred sites and narratives. The Sojourner series explores sculpture as nomadic and fluid, embodying transformation and openness.
UM Tai-Jung’s career spans over six decades, with a strong focus on metal sculpture influenced by Eastern natural philosophy. His evolution from intense iron forms to delicate aluminum pieces mirrors his journey toward poetic simplicity and the interplay of emptiness and fullness.
This exhibition also includes UM’s drawings and paintings, which serve as extensions of his sculptural ideas, weaving temporal and spatial dimensions through delicate lines and colors. These two-dimensional works recall iconic forms by Constantin Brâncuși, emphasizing the dialogue between sculpture, painting, time, and thought.
UM Tai-Jung studied sculpture at Seoul National University and Central Saint Martins in London. He taught sculpture at Seoul National University for over two decades and earned multiple prestigious awards. His works have appeared in prominent museums and public spaces worldwide, from the São Paulo Biennale to Seoul Olympic Park.
Visitors to “World Worlds” will experience a comprehensive journey through UM Tai-Jung’s artistic universe, one that challenges perception and invites meditation on the living nature of the world.
For more information, please visit the official website:
ARARIO GALLERY
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UM Tai-Jung: World Worlds
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