[Field Sketch] ‘Another animal inside an animal?’ Painting the coexistence of life with imagination, Cho Tae-seong's solo exhibition 《Meet at Hana ZOO》 at Hana Bank H.art1

Familiar animals such as tigers, lions, rhinoceroses, and gorillas appear in new forms, wearing intense colors and free lines. Rather than merely reproducing the appearance of animals, the works weave together characters, decorations, and small living creatures to express the dynamism of life and the diversity of nature. An exhibition has opened where one can look into the world of animals and life through the eyes of artist Cho Tae-seong, an artist with developmental disabilities.

Familiar animals such as tigers, lions, rhinoceroses, and gorillas appear in new forms, wearing intense colors and free lines. Rather than merely reproducing the appearance of animals, the artist expresses the dynamism of life and the diversity of nature by weaving together characters, decorations, and small living creatures. An exhibition has opened where one can look into the world of animals and life through the eyes of artist Cho Tae-seong, an artist with a developmental disability.

Hana Financial Group has been hosting Cho Tae-seong's solo exhibition 《Meet at Hana ZOO》 at H.art1, a complex cultural space located in Euljiro, Jung-gu, Seoul, since the 1st. This exhibition, which continues until the 13th, serves as a venue to introduce the images of animals and life that the artist has long explored through various methods such as painting and media art.

This exhibition was prepared as an extension of the support project for artists with disabilities promoted by Hana Financial Group. The purpose is to expand opportunities for artists with developmental disabilities to present their works to the public and to establish a foundation so they can continue their creative activities sustainably. In particular, as it hosts a solo exhibition for an artist met through a contest, it goes beyond a simple presentation of works to allow one to observe the creative activities and growth process that have continued so far.

Artist Cho Tae-seong established a connection through 'Hana Artverse', an art contest organized by Hana Financial Group to support the artistic activities and social independence of artists with developmental disabilities. Following an Excellence Award in the first year of the contest, Cho recorded a Grand Prize in 2023 and an Honorable Mention in 2024, and last year won the Grand Prize in the adult category with the work 〈ZOO〉.

Subsequently, since 2023, Cho has been active as a member of 'Hana Art Crew', an artist support program for artists with disabilities operated by Hana Bank. Hana Art Crew is a program that provides jobs and roles in the field of art so that artists with disabilities can work using their expertise, and provides opportunities for external activities such as art exhibitions. This solo exhibition is an example where the connection between the artist, who started from winning a contest, and the financial group has led to an independent exhibition.

H.art1, a complex cultural space located near Euljiro, is a place that opened in November 2022 after remodeling a building that was previously used as the Euljiro Business Center. It is characterized by combining exhibitions, cultural activities, and art-related services, centered around an 'open storage' that reveals artworks collected by the bank to general visitors.

The building, which is 4 stories in total, is equipped with exhibition spaces where one can appreciate the collection of Hana Bank and spaces that provide art-related services. In particular, the 4th floor is being utilized as an exhibition and cultural exchange space to introduce the works of emerging artists, and Cho Tae-seong's solo exhibition is being held here.

In this exhibition, one can encounter about 40 works, including Cho Tae-seong's paintings and media art. As the word 'ZOO' used in the exhibition title suggests, various animals are at the center of the works. Animals with different appearances and characteristics, such as tigers, lions, rhinoceroses, and gorillas, are reconstructed into forms different from reality through the artist's imagination.

Regarding the holding of this solo exhibition, Cho Tae-seong expressed joy at being able to develop his artistic activities through Hana Artverse and even hold a solo exhibition. He said, "I hope that in this exhibition held with Hana Financial Group, everyone can comfortably appreciate the works and smile."

The primary subject of artist Cho Tae-seong's work is animals. As the exhibition title suggests, various animals exist within the canvas, each revealing its own vitality. However, it does not stop at simply reproducing their external appearances.

Strong animals such as gorillas and lions appear as beings symbolizing life and emotion, strength and balance. The thick, powerful lines that form their massive bodies and the colors crossing the screen reveal the energy of the animals, while the detailed elements placed inside and outside them create another story.

Just as people gather to form a single community, one can discover strong and weak animals living together in harmony within the works. The shapes of other animals are delicately expressed in the background or within the bodies of the animals. This appearance is reminiscent of 'Doodle Art,' which repeatedly draws free lines and small images.
 

The charm of artist Cho Tae-seong lies in how he fits different living beings together without gaps, like puzzle or mosaic pieces, to complete a single form.

When viewed from a distance, the intense forms of the animals catch the eye first, but when approaching closely, the small images and patterns hidden within reveal themselves. The way elements of different shapes and sizes coexist within a single screen while forming one animal shape overall brings to mind the diversity found in nature and the connectivity between life.
 

Sometimes, the unique characteristics of animals are emphasized through color and lines. In this process, one can observe how the artist interprets and expresses the characteristics of each animal. While one might think it is a colorful peacock, they discover pandas, chameleons, elephants, gorillas, and rhinoceroses within the wings. Visitors may feel as if they are playing a game of 'hidden pictures.'

Alternatively, the artist chooses the deep green of the jungle to depict several gorillas living together, or uses blue tones to express the cold temperature of the Arctic where polar bears reside. The use of freely extending lines and bold colors adds vitality to the works.
 

One can also appreciate works where the artist's imagination is fully reflected. Using motifs such as the shoebill, Brachiosaurus, and Lemuria, the artist has created images of future cities. For those who have experienced drawing imagined future cities during childhood, they will be able to fully empathize with the artist's imagination.

Above all, the environments necessary for life to exist appear within these imaginary cities. As natural elements such as water and green plants blend together, the cities feel like a single ecosystem. Although they are imaginary cities, artist Cho Tae-seong is visually stating that an organic balance is required for life to coexist.
 

Among the works, letter drawings can be found. Similar to the historical 'Munja-do,' letters gather to become a single picture, or pictures gather to form letters. This is also a noteworthy part of the artist's work series.

Artist Cho Tae-seong crosses the boundary between drawing and letters by applying letters to familiar animal forms or composing shapes themselves like letters. Rather than distinguishing letters and images as different means of expression, he organically connects them within a single frame to create a unique formative language.

The work 〈ZOO〉, which received a grand prize last year, is a piece that configures animals with unique colors and patterns into the shape of the alphabet 'ZOO.' It drew attention for expanding visual expression by combining animal images with letters.

When observing the 〈ZOO〉 series in succession, the letters 'ZOO' are clearly revealed at first, but as time passes, they gradually transform into abstract forms. Rather than the overall shape of the letters, one becomes more focused on which animal or image the individual elements composing them represent. In this way, one can feel the artist's philosophy of focusing on each and every detailed part that constitutes life.
 

Beyond painting, artist Cho Tae-seong is expanding his world of work by utilizing various media. As the artist, who says "a painting is a story," video works based on the artist's works are also being screened in the exhibition hall. The music, harmonizing with the three-dimensional videos that provide a different feeling from flat paintings, also increases the sense of immersion.
 

The exhibition continues until the 13th on the 4th floor of Hana Bank H.art1. H.art1 operates from 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM and is closed on Mondays. Admission is free.

Read the original (Korean)