DON Sunpil

DON Sunpil (b.1984) is an artist who dismantles the affection towards the object and background which are frequently appeared in the subculture. To the artist, represented by the figure, a so-called OTAKU culture is not simply for leisure or light amuse, but a fascinating social phenomenon and a clue to a shared aesthetic sense. DON brings out the subject like animation, which is asserted to be existing on the outside of Fine Art boundary, into a discourse within the art world then intersect each other. The artist not only maintains affection in one hand and strict aesthetic appreciation in the other for the cultural context, narrative, and the adoration towards the figures but also persistently explored the perfection and logical completeness of the figure, then unfolded them to the audience.

DON sees the figure as a mass-produced product created by individuals who share the same aesthetic orientation and looks into the aspects of society and culture, the basis of which these specific individuals and communities were created. Furthermore, it is assumed that the interface between figures and fine art is ‘useless except for the appreciation’, and appreciation of artworks is compared to ‘Deokjil’. Under such a dry gaze, figures are reproduced with the limitation of the original color of the feeling of a unique scale. Figures that are monochromatic, or resizing the original scale became an object only for the appreciation, but it becomes satisfactory objects just in themselves.

DON Sunpil has held solo exhibitions at Little ASJC, Kunsthal Aarhus (Aarhus, Denmark) in 2021; Art Sonje Center (Seoul, Korea) in 2020; Arario Museum in Space (Seoul, Korea) in 2019; Tastehouse (Seoul, Korea) in 2018; and Audio Visual Pavilion (Seoul, Korea) in 2016. The artist has taken part in various group exhibitions at  Daelim Museum (Seoul, Korea) in 2020; Danwon Art Museum (Ansan, Korea) in 2019; Arario Gallery Seoul, Ryse Hotel (Seoul, Korea) and Grassi Museum (Leipzig, Germany) in 2018; The Print Room (London, UK) in 2017; Trading Post (Seoul, Korea) in 2016; and Sangsangmadang (Seoul, Korea) in 2015. DON participated in the “14th SeMA Nanji Residency” (Seoul, Korea) in 2020; and has authored several publications including “Figure TEXT: Wonder Festival Report” (2019); “Minmay Attack: Re-Re-Cast” (2016); and “Figure TEXT (2016).