Umber Blue 1991

Yun Hyong-keun made this painting using oil on canvas. It's like three dark rectangles sitting on top of each other, with a hazy blue and brown color palette. I can imagine Yun in the studio, maybe years ago, playing with these pigments, seeing how they bleed and blend into the canvas. What do you think he was thinking? Perhaps about other artists, like Mark Rothko, whose color fields also evoke a sense of quiet contemplation? The paint here is thin, almost like a stain, creating a sense of depth and atmosphere. Look at that top edge of the tallest rectangle—it’s so soft and blurred, like a watercolor wash, and yet it holds its form, communicating a feeling of weight and solidity. Painters are always in dialogue, aren’t they? Each artist responding to and building upon the ideas of those who came before. Yun's subtle handling of paint invites us to slow down, look closely, and experience the quiet power of abstract forms.