‘Superstar’ Jon Burgerman brings back joy of doodling

The so-called “doodle art genius” who made a splash with his street paintings in Busan and Seoul subways, Jon Burgerman’s works are currently on exhibition at M Contemporary gallery in southern Seoul. Titled “Fun Factory: Superstar Jon Burgerman” and featuring over 230 artworks, this is the Brooklyn-based artist’s second exhibition in Seoul, following “Burgerworld” held in 2015.

Burgerman, born in 1979, is a British-born contemporary artist and graphic designer whose work encompasses fine art, pop culture and urban art. Critics have noted that Burgerman’s freestyle painting and use of bright colors demonstrate the artist’s primary motivation, which is to equate art and happiness.

“When I look at a certain shape, I think of a color to fill it in and apply it spontaneously as soon as it comes up in my head,” Burgerman said during a meet-and-greet session with the audience in June.

For Burgerman, art is spontaneous, and he relies on spontaneity in giving his work titles. “When I have to document the work, I just look at it, and the title pops into my head,” he said. “If it doesn’t pop into my head, I leave it for a while and then come back to it.” 

The current exhibition includes artwork that has never been shown before. He arrived in Seoul a week before the exhibition to create an improvised graffiti piece on one of the exhibition walls.

The exhibition consists of a media zone, experience zone and photo zone that introduce Burgerman’s art world and explain the artistic process behind it.

There are also interactive sections where visitors can draw their own creations.

His art world creates an atmosphere that anyone can enjoy regardless of age, allowing the older generation to travel back in time to when they were children and doodled without inhibitions.

The exhibition runs through Sep. 29 at M Contemporary.

By Kim Ji-inn (viviannakim30@gmail.com)
Intern Reporter