LG OLED to shine spotlight on Suh Se-ok family legacy at September art fair
At this year’s Frieze Seoul, a remarkable family reunion will bring together the iconic father-and-sons trio — the late ink painting master Suh Se-ok (1929-2020), contemporary artist Suh Do-ho and architect Suh Eul-ho. The unexpected host of this artistic gathering? LG OLED.
Titled “Suh Se Ok X LG OLED: Reimagined by Suh Do Ho, Shaped by Suh Eul Ho,” the exhibition aims to deliver on its name by featuring Suh Do-ho’s digital reinterpretation of his father’s Korean ink abstractions, all within a space designed by his younger brother.
This marks the first time the two sons have collaborated to revisit their father’s artistic legacy, infusing the project with personal memories and their respective crafts.
Set to take place at COEX in southern Seoul from Sept. 4 to 7 during the global art fair’s run, the show’s highlight is the digital reimagining of the late Suh’s high-powered ink brushstrokes unfurled on the LG Signature OLED T, the world’s first wireless transparent OLED TV.
“My father often spoke of the infinite universe and space in his work while he was painting,” Suh Do-ho shared. “When I saw the moment the LG OLED screen turned transparent, it felt as if a two-dimensional picture had transformed into a three-dimensional space, as if it revealed the space behind the painting that had been hidden from view for thousands of years.”
Accompanying the digital canvas is a display of late Suh’s seven original mulberry paper paintings and a semi-transparent fabric installation of his brushwork. This installation pays homage to the artistic practices of two generations: Suh Se-ok’s calligraphic abstraction and Suh Do-ho’s ethereal fabric replicas of his former homes.
“LG OLED screens are capable of displaying the perfect black level without light leakage or external light reflection through their independently controlled, self-emissive pixels. We believed this technology was particularly well-suited for showcasing Suh’s ink paintings,” said Kate Oh, vice president of the Brand Communication Division at LG Home Entertainment Company, explaining the choice to highlight the Suh family for this year’s presentation.
“And we felt that the artist’s two sons, who grew up immersed in his creative spirit and philosophy, were uniquely positioned to reinterpret his works effectively.”
“Suh Se Ok X LG OLED” represents LG OLED’s second major artistic collaboration as the headline partner for Frieze Seoul. Last year, the spotlight was on the digital reimaginings of abstract master Kim Whanki’s (1913-74) masterpieces, including his signature all-over dot paintings.
LG Electronics’ venture into the arts continues with its newly announced partnership with the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA). This collaboration will see the company providing exclusive exhibition sponsorship and technical support for the MMCA X LG OLED Series, set to unfold over the next three years in the museum’s cavernous Seoul Box space.
Additionally, the firm has entered its third year of a five-year partnership with New York’s Guggenheim, dedicated to researching and promoting artists who explore the intersection of art and technology. The 2024 LG Guggenheim Award went to artist and filmmaker Shu Lea Cheang, who has been experimenting with emerging technologies in her projects for more than three decades.