Pini di Roma-Via Appia by Ottorino Respighi-Series I, acrylic, 36x48 inches
-Sanghoon, we'd love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today, both personally and as an artist.
For me and my family, music was not just a part of life, it was our entire world and our duty. From a young age, I began shaping my future in a studio next to our living room, known as the "Piano Room," where I studied both cello and art, while my two older sisters trained in piano and violin, and my mother is a renowned pianist. However, perhaps because I possessed a different perspective on the world than my sisters, I gradually drifted away from music. I began to move toward engineering and architecture. These two fields led me to view the world through a rational and scientific lens, which ironically granted me the ability to understand music with much greater logic and thoroughness. This evolution is precisely what has shaped who I am today.
This journey allowed me to imagine "seeing" the sounds of music with my own eyes. While appreciating famous paintings, I would find myself pairing them with fitting melodies; similarly, when experiencing various architectural structures, music that resonated with their forms would play in my ears. The catalyst for this was the mystical concept I encountered during my architectural studies: "Architecture is frozen music." The moment that 18th-century thought struck me, a person living in the 20th century, remains unforgettable.
I remember that in the 1990s, I began using geometry to create countless sketches of the images evoked by Schoenberg's "Transfigured Night," a piece that captivated me. This was followed by my immersion in Debussy's, Shostakovich's and Prokofiev's music, where I continued to sketch their compositions and musical structures using lines, planes, volumes, and colors, so vividly that they felt tangible. The funny thing is, back then, I never imagined that this hobby of "sketching music" would eventually become my lifelong profession.
Today, I live a fulfilling life as an artist who "paints" music. Moving beyond the interpretation, analysis, and imagination of 19th and 20th-century music, I have begun the work of understanding 21st-century music, created through new scientific and mathematical perspectives, and translating it into 2D and 3D forms. With the help of my sister, Hae-Sun Kang, a world-renowned violinist who has premiered 21st-century musical works for decades in the world, my understanding of this contemporary era is deepening. I now look forward to directly engaging with the artistic worlds of composers who are creating the music of our time.
'Bolero' by Maurice Ravel-Series V, acrylic on canvas, 36x48 inches
-You use this image of putting classical music in a freezer to see how it would freeze. That's a beautiful way to frame it. What does the "freezing" actually look like when you're working?
Imagining the meaning of "freezing" is quite intuitive to me. Just as pouring water into a heart-shaped or star-shaped mold produces ice in those forms, I envision music as being frozen within its inherent structural framework. Through a deep, analytically grounded understanding of musical structures and characteristics, I explore various ways these frozen states can take shape.
Specifically, by focusing on how brass, woodwinds, percussion, and strings interact and converse with one another, I identify the main theme within a piece of music. From the entire composition, I concentrate on a representative fragment that encapsulates the core idea, analyzing its structural characteristics in depth, the sonic distinction between minor and major modes, and ultimately "freezing" it. I believe that the quality of my work improves in direct proportion to the depth of my understanding of music. In this process, geometry, infused with scientific reasoning, becomes my primary tool of expression.
However, I wouldn't say that every one of my works is a literal "freezing" of music. Once I have grasped the fundamental flow of a piece, I often move beyond the concept of freezing to express the music through a diverse range of methods. In some cases, rather than approaching the music through scientific analysis, I have metaphorically depicted the pure sensation I feel while listening to its central theme, and in the case of ballet music, I might analyze the choreography and use its essential movements as a geometric motif to symbolically represent the entire piece. Other times, I compose my work around the conductor's unique gestures captured during the music's most pivotal moments.
For instance, my work inspired by Ravel's Bolero was born from the core ideas found in Maurice Béjart's unique choreography, specifically the key physical movements of the ballerina. A key feature of the painting representing Prokofiev's Cinderella's Waltz is its depiction of the music's twelve distinct characteristics through the movement of various rectangular pillars. These elements are enveloped by a form symbolizing the pressure of midnight chimes. Furthermore, this work was inspired by Rudolf Nureyev's choreography for the Cinderella ballet performed at the Opéra de Paris. In truth, when I first read a musical score, I try to envision how it will manifest as a painting. I describe this as "freezing" the sounds of music. It is as if I am predicting the approximate shape that the music will take once it is placed in a "freezer" to be solidified. I believe this conveys to the audience a sense of 'infinitude' that transcends the mere sounds produced by the notes written on the score.
Piano Adagio BWV974 by Johann Sebastian Bach-Series IX, acrylic on canvas, 36x48 inches
-Scale feels important here. These are large paintings. What does scale allow you to do with this subject matter that smaller works couldn't?
It is generally evident that viewers are often moved by the sheer scale of a painting; thus, many artists aspire to project their creative vision onto large-format canvases. I am no exception. However, I have often found that the physical size of a canvas is not necessarily the decisive factor in conveying profound emotion. I believed that the structural analysis of the music, the geometric rendering of that analysis, and the selection of colors that accentuate the composition would hold far greater importance, and that whether my work is large or small, these elements would be what define the emotional impact.
Indeed, through conversations with audiences at numerous exhibitions, I have come to realize that those who engage deeply with the musical content of my work are captivated by the meticulousness and sophistication of the composition, rather than being moved by the physical dimensions of the canvas. As they listen to the logical framework of my work, they 'discover' the music within the visual, and so, I thought that the size of the canvas might not be the primary subject of discussion.
That said, I have recently come to realize that the scale of the canvas must sometimes evolve in harmony with the "thickness" and intensity of the sound to achieve a more logical expression. For instance, when translating a Shostakovich's symphony, I realized that the size of the canvas sometimes becomes crucial. I have begun to feel the limitations of capturing his powerful sounds, the chords, the dissonances, and the exquisite harmony between instruments on a small scale. I now understand that no matter how precise the graphic execution, the powerful impact on the viewer may be diminished if the scale does not match the music's magnitude. Conversely, it is likely to say that the influence of canvas size remains relatively low when expressing quiet piano solos or music where beautiful, singular melodies are emphasized.
When people appreciate a painting, the moment of true emotion occurs before any explanation, it is when they sense the 'infinitude' the work bestows. Therefore, within my canvas lies the 'infinitude' of sound that transcends its scientific and mathematical logic. I believe that as the scale of the work grows, this sense of 'infinitude' will only be further magnified. In the end, my latest creative ambition is to depict music on an incredibly grand scale, expressing the 'sublimity' it offers. I am especially inspired to bring the grand nature, history, and storytelling of Russian composers to life on a massive scale.
Symphony N. 7-Leningrad Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich-Series II, acrylic on canvas, 40x24 inches
-Your work combines architecture, painting, and music theory. Do you think of yourself primarily as a painter, or is that label too limiting?
Throughout my years practicing and teaching architecture, music remained an integral component of my creative process. I integrated the structural and mathematical logic of music into both my architectural designs and my university lectures. This cross-disciplinary approach led others to recognize me as an artist long before I transitioned to painting as my primary profession.
I recall that when I sketched still life and figures as a hobby, people would refer to me as an 'aspiring painter who is good at drawing'. Yet, I was never fully satisfied with that label; I felt a desire to go beyond it, to create something that combined my musical ability and understanding with a scientific way of thinking. In other words, I aspired to develop a form of expression that integrated multiple disciplines, and I hoped to be recognized as a multi-disciplinary artist. In that sense, I do find the label of "painter" somewhat limiting.
I see my work more as a synthesis, bringing together science, mathematics, geometry, architecture and music into a single visual language, almost like constructing a new kind of 'soundscape' on canvas. It is my hope to be defined by descriptors such as 'the artist who makes sound visible' or 'the artist who translates sound onto canvas.' My work seeks to invite the audience to see what was once only heard, capturing the intangible essence of music through a visual language.
'Wrecker'-The Bolt by Dmitri Shostakovich-Series I, acrylic on canvas, 40x30 inches
-What's the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
As is true for most artists, engaging with an audience in a gallery setting can be challenging in an era dominated by digital communication. Consequently, I strive to ensure that my website (kasahcanada.creatorlink.net) and Instagram (@kasahcanada) serve as effective primary gateways for people to experience the essence of my art.
However, since my work is rooted in the intricate geometric elements and their interconnected compositions, these qualities often require a physical presence to be fully understood. There is a profound difference between viewing my work on a screen and experiencing it in person.
At several exhibitions, viewers who had previously followed my work often remarked on the complexity of the interwoven geometric forms once they saw them up close. Naturally, I hope for more opportunities to engage with the audience as they experience my work in a gallery setting.
To share a few memorable encounters from my exhibitions: one viewer, after hearing my explanation of a work based on 21st-century music, went home and listened to the composition repeatedly to grasp my intent. He returned the very next day to purchase the piece. Another viewer, a piano major, was moved to tears as the music within the painting began to resonate deeply with her through our conversation. Yet another collector shared that after acquiring a piece, he listened to the featured music dozens of times at home, experiencing a 'new world.'
Such instances are countless. These profound connections were only possible through direct engagement with the audience during exhibitions. Furthermore, through various artist talks and seminars, many have told me that my work completely transformed their perspective on art.
Therefore, I will do my best to create more opportunities for exhibitions. These unexpected and hidden stories born from my exhibitions and talks have inspired my next project. I am currently planning to publish an art essay as a way to share my creative world with a wider audience from a fresh perspective. This project aims to bridge the gap between the auditory and the visual, documenting the profound encounters and philosophies that define my art.
Statement
While studying architecture, I encountered Goethe and Schelling's evocative notion that "architecture is frozen music." The idea fascinated and inspired me to connect the three threads that have shaped my life, music, architecture, and painting, into a single expressive form. Artists such as Kandinsky, Klee, and Fischinger, who sought to give visual form to the rhythm, structure, and music, have always been great inspirations to me.
Listening to music, I try to perceive the movement of notes and visualize their inner structure, exploring it through a scientific lens. By enumerating, separating, juxtaposing, and merging various geometric forms, combining them with diverse color harmonies, I create my own "play" of structure and sound, imagining the shape of "frozen music."
Equally, I had a strong desire to depict all the possible aspects of music, such as the movement of performers, the gestures of conductors, as well as the emotions of impression, hope, and sorrow. Using geometry, I sought to sketch them as if I were completing architectural plans. Whether intensely or quietly, the music notes would relate to one another and often intersect, following the fundamental principles of music from which various 'imagery of music' would emerge. The imagery of music would become balanced in form according to specific musical rules, leading to a harmonious whole. Occasionally, cognitive dissonance in music might arise, but it is paradoxically beautiful.
Through these musical images, I strive to express the stories of humanity, nature, culture, and the spirit of nations within a single soundscape on canvas.
'Cinderella's Waltz' by Sergei Prokofiev-Series VIII, acrylic on canvas, 40x30 inches
For me, painting is a precious way to share moments of peace, blessing, and joy that art brings, and to participate in the world through them. Many viewers from around the world have said that they could almost "hear" the music in my paintings. When we talk about the aesthetic beauty within these musical images, I feel that they, too, are sharing in the same mysterious world that art creates.
Bio
Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun by C. Debussy-Series II, acrylic on canvas, 40x30 inches
He is a Korean artist based in Canada since 2021. As a former university professor in art and architecture in Korea, a former director of an art gallery in Paris, France, he began his career as an artist in 2020 in France and his work has since been showcased around the world.
As a lifelong cellist raised in a musical family, music has become a fundamental part of his identity, woven into his life by both passion and obligation. Though he did not pursue the path of an artist, he was drawn to fields such as engineering and architecture, disciplines that intertwine art, logic, and imagination. He completed his undergraduate studies in mechanical engineering and his graduate studies in architecture, both in the U.S.A., and architectural history research in France.
After a long and winding journey through diverse cultures, he constantly sought an artistic language that would allow him to communicate with his inner world. During his years in Paris, France, directing an art gallery, his long friendships and collaborations with artists from around the world deepened his desire to realize his own artistic vision. Eventually, upon leaving France and settling in Canada, he began a new chapter as a visual artist, a painter.
His artwork reflects over twenty years of experience, blending his insights as an architect and artist with his role as the director of an art gallery in France to shape his best practices.