The Mysterious Art Museum

Chapter 89 (1) - The Mysterious Art Museum

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The night at W-Tree Hannam Catacombs.

With no performances scheduled during the exhibition preparation period, the place is unusually quiet.

As the clock strikes past 11 PM, the bustle of the artists and workers preparing for the exhibition subsides, leaving the lobby shrouded in silence.

Yet, a shadow moves in the darkness.

A dark-haired man, Kwang-ho, his face obscured by his hair, is that shadow.

Alone, he checks the angles immediately after entering the lobby.

"From here, the first thing you see is Artist Chaeyoung's exhibit... The digital display steals the attention."

In a joint exhibition, the competition among artists begins the moment one enters.

Which artist's exhibition captures the audience's eyes? Is it solely a matter of skill?

No.

The winner is the one who grabs attention first.

Especially for someone like him, with bold works, the other artists' pieces might feel bland to the viewers who see his first.

Kwang-ho nods towards his area.

"The most dazzling piece should be visible from here."

The angle doesn't allow a full view of a painting.

Only the edge of the painting should peek out, using a bold pink to draw the viewer's eyes and pique interest.

Kwang-ho, back in his area, changes the order of his paintings.

However, unsatisfied, he can't leave the front of the painting.

Eventually, he sighs and returns the painting to its original position.

"If this is the first thing people see, the next painting will seem dull."

Kwang-ho, reluctantly, decides to compromise and leaves the painting in its place.

Through the lobby's large glass windows, he gazes at his reflection.

He smiles, proud of his own efforts, working late into the night in the empty exhibition hall.

"Expecting different results by putting in the same effort as others is self-deception."

Constantly pushing himself, investing more effort and passion than others Kwang-ho believes this to be the formula for success in life, so he doesn't stop working even late at night.

He thought about connecting the pieces with string to create a natural flow but decided against it. This exhibition is a joint one with Kim Jung-min, a specialist in installation art using space, string, and light. It would be unwise to interfere clumsily and potentially undermine her efforts.

Kwang-ho's gaze shifts to Jeong-hoon's area, pondering ways to enhance the exhibition.

Jeong-hoon's section, completed two days ago with the help of workers, catches his eye.

He had glimpsed it in passing - there were no paintings. Instead, nails were hammered into the wall where the paintings would hang, and stainless steel plates for the descriptions were affixed.

Curious since the morning, Kwang-ho had refrained from approaching it, fearing his actions might be perceived as competitive by others. But now, in the solitude of the night, he sneaks into Jeong-hoon's area.

Jeong-hoon's section, still under preparation, is concealed by black curtains.

Even though he knows it's empty, Kwang-ho tiptoes in like a thief. He notices the steel plates attached by Jeong-hoon's team. In fact, that's all there is to see.

"What's this?"

He had assumed they were for inscribing the artwork descriptions.

But the plates are blank.

"Hold on."

At first glance, they seem empty, but upon closer inspection, there are raised dots, like bumps.

"Braille?"

Is it braille for the visually impaired?

The plates are engraved with braille, incomprehensible to the general public without specific study.

Kwang-ho gazes at the plate and murmurs.

"Is he preparing an exhibition for the visually impaired?"

Kwang-ho's expression turns serious.

"Of course, the purpose of it is quite wonderful."

I can't say how the visually impaired will appreciate the artworks, but having an exhibition where even those artistically marginalized can enjoy is unquestionably a good thing.

"But this is a competition, and we mustn't forget that."

A joint exhibition is not a collaboration among artists, but a competition.

Who shines brighter, who becomes more of a topic?

Is it a battlefield where we compete to see whether our works, toiled over for months, will be overshadowed by others, or will they become the main attraction?

It's hard to say out loud, but the number of visually impaired visitors is fewer than general attendees. Moreover, even fewer of them are likely to attend an art exhibition.

"Will it be a sketch?"

Hence the need for this empty space in the middle.

"How foolish."

To submit sketches for an exhibition?

It's an insane thought. Why?

Because Su-han is among the artists participating in the joint exhibition.

To think of competing with Su-han, who creates detailed and delicate human sculptures, with mere sketches.

Even if it's his first exhibition, it's an incredibly foolish thought.

Kwang-ho shakes his head, brushes his hands off, and smiles.

"No matter how much W Tree pushes you as an artist, I've won this time, Jeong-hoon."

In truth, Kwang-ho had been most concerned about Jeong-hoon since the members of the joint exhibition were announced.

An artist with a strange career, whether a designer or a painter.

Designs for MG Electronics' refrigerators, catacomb ceiling painting, and digital media art for the world-renowned pianist Irina's performances. The more you see, the stranger his career seems. It's hard to identify him because there's no consistency, which makes him more wary.

But now, knowing he's made the wrong choice, Kwang-ho feels relieved.

Easing his worries, Kwang-ho checks his section once more and then leaves the lobby.

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