K-pop stars Song Min-ho and Kang Seung-yoon prepare for London art exhibition

Gulf Today Reporter

This autumn the famous K-pop stars Song Min-ho and Kang Seung-yoon will exhibit their paintings and photographs at London.

Mainly known for their music, the WINNER bandmates will showcase their art, alongside fellow K-pop singer Henry Lau, at the START Art Fair, held at the Saatchi Gallery and coinciding with the famed Frieze Art Week.

A selection of limited editions works by all three will be available to purchase in June on the START.Art digital platform.

"Music tells a story, whether it’s of a happy ending or a sad ending, there seems to be a clear-cut ending," rapper Song, who is mainly known by his stage name MINO, told Reuters.

 MINO with his painting in the background attends an interview with Reuters at a cafe in Seoul, South Korea

The 28-year-old, who first started painting with acrylic colours in his early 20s, made his public debut as a painter in 2019 at an exhibition in Seongnam. He will present a selection of paintings, including a self-portrait of a dark figure surrounded by colourful balloons, in London.

MINO and Kang, a singer, songwriter and producer known as KANG SEUNG YOON, present their artworks under the names Ohnim and Yoo yeon respectively. Kang will showcase black and white photographs taken during various trips.

"Our art or photography shouldn’t be meaningless. That’s why I want to express my feelings in my work ... (A song) is usually three minutes and ... I have to implicitly express all these things in that timing. But I can take a photograph whenever I want, however I want."

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Joining them in London will be Canada-born singer, musician and actor Lau, who took up pendulum painting last year and will display five artworks.

"I'd wanted to make it sort of like an entire performance, but like a performance, no matter how much you practise and prepare there were some unexpected things that happened."

Lau said examples of this included unplanned droplets of pink paint in artwork "Starry".

Asked about balancing art with music, the classically-trained violinist said: "I'm ... just trying to do these two as much as possible. I think that's what's really helping me get through these times."