Ung-Pil Byen

Ung-Pil Byen lives and works in Korea after spending 11 years in Germany. He continues to paint portraits using materials and techniques commonly found in Western painting, whilst maintaining a distinctively Eastern approach of removing and emptying elements of the work. Byen’s series of self-portraits, which began in Germany, undoubtedly depicts the artist himself. Against his emotionless face, however, certain identifiers such as hair, eyebrows, and skin colour are erased and distorted, leading to a near abstraction. “The highly subjective differences between beauty and ugliness, open discrimination based on skin color, hasty judgment of the experience of another’s gender without experiencing it, and class prejudice based on occupation and social status. How free can I really be from these prejudices and biases,” asks the artist himself. Even in his later series of (non-self) portraits, the artist intentionally removes such specific details. By doing so, Byen’s work also allows the viewer to project their own narratives onto the canvas, and serves as an opportunity to face their inner thoughts and emotions. UNG-PIL BYEN Born in 1970 Jangheung, Korea Lives and works in Ganghwa, Korea EDUCATION 1989 – 1996 B.F.A. Dongguk University 1997 – 2005 M.F.A. Academy of Arts, Münster, Germany 2005 – 2006 Master student by Prof. Guillaume Bijl, Münster, Germany 2007 – 2009 Adjunct Professor Fine Art Department at Dongguk University SOLO EXHIBITIONS 2024 SOMEONE, CHOI&CHOI Gallery Cologne 2021 SOMEONE, HORI artspace, Seoul 2018 SOMEONE, ARIRANG Gallery, Busan 2017 FictionByen Ung-Pil, Gallery Joeun, Seoul 2014 Ongnim-ri 23-1, UNC Gallery, Seoul 2013 Someone, Gallery HYUNDAIwindow, Seoul 2012 SOMEONE, ARIRANG Gallery, Busan Byen, Ung-Pil, Project Cafe Wumin, Cheongju 2009 Selfportrait as a man 1 & 1/4, Gallery HYUNDAI, Seoul 2007 Byen Ung-pil: Seolleim, doART Gallery, Seoul 2006 Face-Landscape, Gallery Zandari, Seoul 2005 Face to face, Galerie ART-isotope, Dortmund Self portrait as a men,, Galerie Plas-ma, Muehlheim a.d. Ruhr 2004 Solo Exhibition, Galerie Zap-art, Warendorf Two Persons, OVG NRW, Münster Painting of BYEN, UNG-PIL, Kunsthalle Hangelar Sankt Augustin Hangelar 2003 I, you and we, Practice of Dr.Edith, Dr.Wolfgang Mikansky, Dr.Werne Korte. Reken Two Persons-the shop window, Wewerka-Pavillon Münster GROUP EXHIBITIONS & ARTFAIRS 2024 The Friendliest, Incheon art platform, Incheon Happy Hori Day, HORI artspace, Seoul 2023 HUMAN, CHOI&CHOI Gallery,Seoul From Berlin to Seoul: Crossing Horizons, CHOI&CHOI Gallery, HORI Artispace, AIF Artmanagement, Seoul and Bermel von Luxburg Gallery, Berlin My Memory-erase and pile up: Byen, Ung-Pil & Seo yu ra, CL art Gallery, Seoul 2022 FLOWER, CHOI&CHOI Gallery, Seoul 2021 Dream and enjoy Namhae, Space MIZO, Namhae Thank you 2019, Gallery Joeun, Seoul 11pleasures, Chung Art Gallery, Seoul HA HA HA, SPACE1326, Seoul 2020 Ensemble at Hannam 2nd, Gallery Joeun, Seoul K-Dementia 2020, COEX D Hall, Seoul Memory, Record, Jeondeungsa, Ganghwado Pangyo Art Museum, Hyundai Department Store, Pangyo Artist research Byen, Ungpil + Yoon, Jongsuk, AIF, Seoul Bulhock – Mihockhada, Gallery Joeun, Seoul Thank you 2020, Gallery Joeun, Seoul 2019 The Forest, Gallery Joeun, Seoul Who am I? – good, Indipress Gallery. Seoul 15C CHULWHA NOW, Arts Center KUH, Daejeon 11pleasures, Chung Art Gallery, Seoul Thank you 2019, Gallery Joeun, Seoul 2018 11pleasures, Chung Art Gallery, Seoul ART Élysées, Gallery JOEUN, Paris START art fair, Saatchi Gallery, London The Wind Blows-The 5th ART Vornado, Insa art senter, Seoul National Museum of Contemporary ArtArt Bank Collection Exhibition, Gangneung Art Center, Gangneung 100 ALBUMS 100 ARTISTS 2, Avenuel Arthall, Seoul Anseong Arthall Grand Open Show with 17Artists, Anseong Arthall, Anseong 2017 This is Diptych, Small-museum, Jeongseon Revisiting painting arts: Modern Figurative paintings by Korean artists, Cian art museum, Yeong Cheon I DREAM, delight square Gallery, Seoul Cafe Society, Seoul Museum, Seoul 100 Albums 100 Artists, AVENUEL ARTHALL, Seoul 2016 Thank you 2016, Gallery Joeun, Seoul Two Man’s Story, ART CENTER KUH, Daejeon Korean Contemporary Art: Predict, Propose, Prosess, DDP, Seoul Selfportrait, Gallery Toast, Seoul 2015 < SeMA Artist Guild Art Fair > , Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul Art Busan 2015, Gallery ARIRANG, Busan 2015 OCEANUS K-ART, Oceanus Arthall, Busan 2014 Korean Portraiture, Beyond Memories, Jeonbuk Museum of Art, Wanju Family LOVE, Yangpyeong Art Museum, Yangpyeong Mince drawing, Creative Space_P, Busan 2013 shoot for Hope, Hankyoung Gallery, Seoul Korea Contemporary Art 33, Gangdong Art Center, Seoul AMMA UMMA, Korean Cultural Centre India, India Art Load 77’ Art Fair 2013, Heyri, Paju KOREAN ART TODAY, Korean Cultural Centre India, India Artwing seoul, seoul metropolitan government, Seoul Human, for a While, Culture Factory Osan, Osan The Face, Superior Galley, Seoul 2012 15th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2012, Bangladesh Thoughts on Body, Seoul Olympic Museum of Art, Seoul SeMA Youth 2012: 12 Events for 12 Rooms, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul Face Unlock, Jang Heung Art Park, Jang Heung Korea Gallery Art Fair, Coex (Gallery Hyundai), Seoul K ARTSTAR, INSA art senter, Seoul JUN DAE MI MUN, Artstar, Gallery JUN, Daegu Korea Gallery Art Fair, Coex (Gallery Hyundai), Seoul 2011 Korea Contemporary Art, Hottest Young Artist, Hyundai Artscenter, Ulsan Selective Expression of Figures on our Times, Gallery SOHEON, Daegu KIAF, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul I AM A PAINTER, UNC Gallery, Seoul 2010 INSA ART FESTIVAL, Gallery Urim, Seoul theirs are beautiful, Gallery D, Gwangju Drawing-The Room of Artists, Topohaus, Seoul Korean Contemporary Art DEFRNSE MECHANISM, Gallery TN, Beijing Korea Contemporary Artists 110, SEJONG CENTER, Seoul IN SPITE OF ART, interalia art company, Seoul AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS & RESIDENCIES 2008/09 Nanji Art Studio(Seoul museum of art), Seoul, Korea 2006 Emerging Artist Fellowship, Arts Council Korea 2005 ADO Art Award 2005, Germany 2004 Kunstaspekte-Art Award, Germany 2003 Second Award, Kunstbombe 2003, Germay Emerging Artist Fellowship for foreign student, DAAD, Germany 2002 Support Award of the Academy of Arts Muenster, Germany PUBLIC COLLECTIONS National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea Jeollanam-do Museum of Art Seoul Museum of Art Seoul Museum OCI Museum of Art Incheon Foundation for Arts and Culture Museum MARTA Herfod, Germany Supreme court of NRW, Germany