Ung-Pil Byen Korean, b. 1970

Ung-Pil Byen lives and works in Korea after spending 11 years in Germany. He continues to paint portraits using materials and techniques commonly found in Western painting, whilst maintaining a distinctively Eastern approach of removing and emptying elements of the work. Byen’s series of self-portraits, which began in Germany, undoubtedly depicts the artist himself. Against his emotionless face, however, certain identifiers such as hair, eyebrows, and skin colour are erased and distorted, leading to a near abstraction. “The highly subjective differences between beauty and ugliness, open discrimination based on skin color, hasty judgment of the experience of another’s gender without experiencing it, and class prejudice based on occupation and social status. How free can I really be from these prejudices and biases,” asks the artist himself. Even in his later series of (non-self) portraits, the artist intentionally removes such specific details. By doing so, Byen’s work also allows the viewer to project their own narratives onto the canvas, and serves as an opportunity to face their inner thoughts and emotions.

UNG-PIL BYEN

Born in 1970 Jangheung, Korea

Lives and works in Ganghwa, Korea

EDUCATION

1989 – 1996 B.F.A. Dongguk University 

1997 – 2005 M.F.A. Academy of Arts, Münster, Germany 

2005 – 2006 Master student by Prof. Guillaume Bijl, Münster, Germany 

2007 – 2009 Adjunct Professor Fine Art Department at Dongguk University

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2024

• SOMEONE, CHOI&CHOI Gallery Cologne

2021

• SOMEONE, HORI artspace, Seoul

2018

• SOMEONE, ARIRANG Gallery, Busan

2017

• FictionByen Ung-Pil, Gallery Joeun, Seoul

2014

• Ongnim-ri 23-1, UNC Gallery, Seoul 

2013

• Someone, Gallery HYUNDAIwindow, Seoul

2012

• SOMEONE, ARIRANG Gallery, Busan
• Byen, Ung-Pil, Project Cafe Wumin, Cheongju

2009

• Selfportrait as a man 1 & 1/4, Gallery HYUNDAI, Seoul

2007

• Byen Ung-pil: Seolleim, doART Gallery, Seoul 

2006

• Face-Landscape, Gallery Zandari, Seoul 

2005

• Face to face, Galerie ART-isotope, Dortmund 
• Self portrait as a men,, Galerie Plas-ma, Muehlheim a.d. Ruhr 

2004

• Solo Exhibition, Galerie Zap-art, Warendorf 
• Two Persons, OVG NRW, Münster 
• Painting of BYEN, UNG-PIL, Kunsthalle Hangelar Sankt Augustin Hangelar 

2003

• I, you and we, Practice of Dr.Edith, Dr.Wolfgang Mikansky, Dr.Werne Korte. Reken 
• Two Persons-the shop window, Wewerka-Pavillon Münster

GROUP EXHIBITIONS & ARTFAIRS

2024

• The Friendliest, Incheon art platform, Incheon
• Happy Hori Day, HORI artspace, Seoul

2023

• HUMAN, CHOI&CHOI Gallery,Seoul
• From Berlin to Seoul: Crossing Horizons, CHOI&CHOI Gallery, HORI Artispace, AIF Artmanagement, Seoul and Bermel von Luxburg Gallery, Berlin
• My Memory-erase and pile up: Byen, Ung-Pil & Seo yu ra, CL art Gallery, Seoul

2022

• FLOWER, CHOI&CHOI Gallery, Seoul

2021

• Dream and enjoy Namhae, Space MIZO, Namhae
• Thank you 2019, Gallery Joeun, Seoul
• 11pleasures, Chung Art Gallery, Seoul
• HA HA HA, SPACE1326, Seoul

2020

• Ensemble at Hannam 2nd, Gallery Joeun, Seoul 
• K-Dementia 2020, COEX D Hall, Seoul
• Memory, Record, Jeondeungsa, Ganghwado
• Pangyo Art Museum, Hyundai Department Store, Pangyo
• Artist research Byen, Ungpil + Yoon, Jongsuk, AIF, Seoul
• Bulhock – Mihockhada, Gallery Joeun, Seoul 
• Thank you 2020, Gallery Joeun, Seoul

2019

• The Forest, Gallery Joeun, Seoul 
• Who am I? – good, Indipress Gallery. Seoul
• 15C CHULWHA NOW, Arts Center KUH, Daejeon
• 11pleasures, Chung Art Gallery, Seoul
• Thank you 2019, Gallery Joeun, Seoul

2018

• 11pleasures, Chung Art Gallery, Seoul
• ART Élysées, Gallery JOEUN, Paris
• START art fair, Saatchi Gallery, London
• The Wind Blows-The 5th ART Vornado, Insa art senter, Seoul
• National Museum of Contemporary ArtArt Bank Collection Exhibition, Gangneung Art Center, Gangneung
• 100 ALBUMS 100 ARTISTS 2, Avenuel Arthall, Seoul
• Anseong Arthall Grand Open Show with 17Artists, Anseong Arthall, Anseong
• 2017 This is Diptych, Small-museum, Jeongseon
• Revisiting painting arts: Modern Figurative paintings by Korean artists, Cian art museum, Yeong Cheon
• I DREAM, delight square Gallery, Seoul
• Cafe Society, Seoul Museum, Seoul
• 100 Albums 100 Artists, AVENUEL ARTHALL, Seoul

2016

• Thank you 2016, Gallery Joeun, Seoul 
• Two Man’s Story, ART CENTER KUH, Daejeon
• Korean Contemporary Art: Predict, Propose, Prosess, DDP, Seoul
• Selfportrait, Gallery Toast, Seoul

 2015

• <SeMA Artist Guild Art Fair>, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul
• Art Busan 2015, Gallery ARIRANG, Busan
• 2015 OCEANUS K-ART, Oceanus Arthall, Busan

2014

• Korean Portraiture, Beyond Memories, Jeonbuk Museum of Art, Wanju
• Family LOVE, Yangpyeong Art Museum, Yangpyeong
• Mince drawing, Creative Space_P, Busan

2013

• shoot for Hope, Hankyoung Gallery, Seoul
• Korea Contemporary Art 33, Gangdong Art Center, Seoul
• AMMA UMMA, Korean Cultural Centre India, India 
• Art Load 77’ Art Fair 2013, Heyri, Paju 
• KOREAN ART TODAY, Korean Cultural Centre India, India
• Artwing seoul, seoul metropolitan government, Seoul
• Human, for a While, Culture Factory Osan, Osan
• The Face, Superior Galley, Seoul

2012

• 15th Asian Art Biennale Bangladesh 2012, Bangladesh
• Thoughts on Body, Seoul Olympic Museum of Art, Seoul
• SeMA Youth 2012: 12 Events for 12 Rooms, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul
• Face Unlock, Jang Heung Art Park, Jang Heung
• Korea Gallery Art Fair, Coex (Gallery Hyundai), Seoul
• K ARTSTAR, INSA art senter, Seoul
• JUN DAE MI MUN, Artstar, Gallery JUN, Daegu
• Korea Gallery Art Fair, Coex (Gallery Hyundai), Seoul
• 2011 Korea Contemporary Art, Hottest Young Artist, Hyundai Artscenter, Ulsan
• Selective Expression of Figures on our Times, Gallery SOHEON, Daegu
• KIAF, Gallery Hyundai, Seoul
• I AM A PAINTER, UNC Gallery, Seoul

2010

• INSA ART FESTIVAL, Gallery Urim, Seoul
• theirs are beautiful, Gallery D, Gwangju
• Drawing-The Room of Artists, Topohaus, Seoul
• Korean Contemporary Art DEFRNSE MECHANISM, Gallery TN, Beijing
• Korea Contemporary Artists 110, SEJONG CENTER, Seoul
• IN SPITE OF ART, interalia art company, Seoul

AWARDS & FELLOWSHIPS & RESIDENCIES

• 2008/09 Nanji Art Studio(Seoul museum of art), Seoul, Korea 
• 2006 Emerging Artist Fellowship, Arts Council Korea 
• 2005 ADO Art Award 2005, Germany 
• 2004 Kunstaspekte-Art Award, Germany 
• 2003 Second Award, Kunstbombe 2003, Germay 
• Emerging Artist Fellowship for foreign student, DAAD, Germany 
• 2002 Support Award of the Academy of Arts Muenster, Germany

PUBLIC COLLECTIONS

• National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea
• Jeollanam-do Museum of Art
• Seoul Museum of Art
• Seoul Museum
• OCI Museum of Art
• Incheon Foundation for Arts and Culture
• Museum MARTA Herfod, Germany 
• Supreme court of NRW, Germany