"pop art? “It is nothing art and it is all art”

[Why Pop Art] Pop artist Youngnam Cho
Transformed into play culture works of art such as Hwatu and playing cards... Invited to Insa Art Festival

Youngnam Cho is a singer. The general perception of him is like that, and his official occupation is also listed as a singer.
However, few people know that he became a singer, and a popular singer at that, in a very 'pop art' way. It is little known that he began art before his 40-year career in music, continues to pursue both music and art, and is recognized by critics as a capable writer and theorist.

However, since Cho Young-nam (64) held his first solo exhibition at the Korean Gallery in Insa-dong, Seoul in 1973, he had exhibitions at galleries in New York and Washington D.C. while studying in the United States in the late 1970s, and since returning to Korea, starting with an exhibition at the Simonson Gallery in LA in 1990, he has continued to do so since then. He has had nearly 30 solo and group exhibitions at home and abroad. In addition, he has published several art-related theory books and essays, and has as much experience as a theorist as he does as a writer.

This is why Cho Young-nam was proudly invited to the ‘3rd Insa Art Festival’ (11.18-11.24) held under the theme of ‘Korean Pop Art’. Yoon Yong-cheol, CEO of Yoon Gallery, who planned the exhibition of his works, said, “Mr. Cho Young-nam’s artistic talent is not clearly revealed due to his image as a national pop singer.” He added, “By reexamining his artistic capabilities and position, he can be seen as one of Korea’s representative pop artists. “I selected it to prove that it is,” he said. He then emphasized, “Mr. Cho Young-nam’s life itself is pop-like.” This means that life and art are not separated, but rather, they are living a pop life by breaking down the boundaries between life and art.

Youngnam Cho's works looked very similar to those seen at Yoon Gallery on the 18th. Just as Marcel Duchamp incorporated toilets (readymades) into the scope of art and Andy Warhol brought popular images into the realm of art, play culture such as Hwatu and Trump, which we consider taboo, were brought into the realm of art and transformed into works of art. Shikin's unconventional behavior is similar to his free life pursuing 'fun'.

In his book, “Modern Art Even Modern People Can’t Understand” (Hangilsa), he says, “Art is everything that pleases or displeases our eyes, that is, everything that is visible.”

The definition of pop art is also Cho Young-nam’s own. "pop art? “It is both nothing art and all art.”