Facing the Mountains, Facing Myself

The moment you look at a work of art, the mountains spread out behind it come into view, bringing the viewer face-to-face with both nature and humanity. The mountains beyond the window represent an immense, unchanging force of nature, while the works inside the gallery hold the wavering emotions and lives of human beings. The mountains have stood in place for ages, weathering rain and wind and the turning of seasons. People, too, carry time within themselves — accumulating relationships, wounds, anxiety, and love throughout their lives.

The works tell the story of the human inner self, while the mountains behind them become a presence that silently watches over all of that time. As visitors take in the works, their gaze naturally drifts beyond and toward the mountains, then returns from the mountains back to the works. In this repeated movement of the eye, the mountains become not merely a backdrop but part of the work itself, and each work becomes a window that opens onto nature. Querencia offers exactly such a window.

I. Things That Waver

People are anxious and fragile beings. Behind every success lies invisible effort and burden; the traces of being loved remain as wounds; and to overcome fear, we create something that will protect us. Yet the mountains visible behind the works stand there like another presence — one that quietly holds all of these emotions within itself.
 

II. Things That Connect

People live by connecting with others, yet at the same time they lose sight of one another. Continuous lines and empty spaces, two figures captivated by light, and the image of modern individuals measured by numbers — these reflect the shape of the relationships we form today. The mountains beyond the window are a space where countless forms of life coexist. The connections found in nature and those in human society resemble each other, yet raise different questions.
 

III. Things That Are Faced

The time spent climbing mountains is also a process of turning inward. The works speak of the inner strength that endures amidst wavering, the love and wounds left behind through relationships, and the true self that is not easily revealed. The mountains beyond the window transcend the mere backdrop of the artwork, becoming another landscape that invites visitors to reflect on their own time.
 

《Facing the Mountains, Facing Myself》 is a curated exhibition featuring works by students from the Department of Fine Arts at the University of Ulsan, organized jointly by the Ulsan Ulju Mountain Film Festival and Querencia to support young artists in the local community. As visitors look out at the mountains through the windows, the works encountered throughout Querencia invite a deeper reflection on human life. 

■ Participating Artists: 18 currently enrolled students from the 3D Sculpture Track and Media Painting Track, Department of Fine Arts, University of Ulsan

■ Date/Time: Sep. 1(Tue) - 22(Tue) 11:00 - 18:00

■ Venue: Querencia

■ Hosted by: 3D Sculpture Track and Media Painting Track, Department of Fine Arts, College of Humanities and Arts, University of Ulsan

■ In cooperation with: Ulsan Ulju Mountain Film Festival, Querencia