Portrait exhibition focuses on famous faces and hidden personalities

 Famous faces are the focus of the latest exhibition at Opera Gallery Seoul in Cheongdam-dong.

The exhibition, titled “Visage,” features 50 portraits of well-known figures in history, including French fashion designer Coco Chanel, soprano Maria Callas as well as individuals by American and European artists.

Seven artists active in North America and Europe reveal their distinctive characteristics through portraits. 

Canadian artist Andre Monet recreates portraits of famous people in both avant-garde and classic way. Inspired by movie, photography, music and literature, Monet uses old magazines and newspaper images and texts with acrylic paint, to effectively bring out a fragment in viewers’ memory.

Monet, who holds exhibitions across the world, presented portraits of Prince William and his wife Catherine in celebration of their wedding.

Spanish-Dutch artist Lita Cabellut portrayed famous female figures such as soprano Maria Callas, mixing oil paint with acid in order to create extreme atmosphere.

Cabellut is known to incorporate her childhood trauma into her painting using a limited number of colors. After spending 13 years on street in poor a Roma neighborhood in Barcelona, she discovered her interest and talent in art and held an exhibition at the age of 17. 

The graffiti artist Mr. Brainwash, whose real name is Theirry Guetta, used his well-known expressive brushwork and free-spirited expression to create portraits of Charles Chaplin using acrylic and spray paint.

Mr. Brainwash made a sensational debut in 2008 with his “Life is Beautiful” solo exhibition, attracting more than 7,000 visitors in Los Angeles. He also participated in creating Madonna’s compilation album cover design in 2009. His works are displayed at major museums across the world including the Museum of Modern Art in New York City and Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

Egyptian photographer Youssef Nabil created an aged portrait image reminiscent of an old movie scene using the antiquated technique of hand painting.

The exhibition “Visage” continues through Aug. 5 at Opera Gallery Seoul in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.

For more information, call (02) 3446-0070.

By Lee Woo-young  (wylee@heraldcorp.com)