SEOUL, A gargantuan sculpture of Mello, the canine alter ego of Steven Harrington, is set to welcome visitors to the Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA), where the Los Angeles-based artist and designer will open his first-ever museum exhibition, “Stay Mello,” later this week.
“This exhibition is extremely meaningful to me. It’s been years in the making. I’m really excited to share those results with you all,” Harrington said during a media event Tuesday, two days prior to the opening.
“The title for the show, ‘Stay Mello,’ is really just simply a play on words. It’s, kind of, not only related to my primary character, named Mello, but it’s also this gentle kind of reminder to stay present within the times that we’ve been through in the past and kind of the trying times of today,” he said.
His exhibition showcases a wide range of his early and current works across different mediums, such as sculpture, print painting and video, over the span of more than 15 years.
It features the artist’s works created specifi
cally for the building, including the gigantic Mello sculpture, which tightly grips the pillars of the museum. These works were crafted after a meticulous study of the iconic building designed by renowned British architect David Chipperfield.
Calling himself “a big fan of architecture,” he said he saw an opportunity to dedicate time to designing and creating unique site-specific works.
“As you move through the space, you’ll notice several large pieces that not only complement the art and architecture, but also interact with the architectural elements. My goal is to tell memorable and engaging stories across various subjects.”
Renowned for his vibrant color fields and whimsical characters, Harrington captivates audiences with his exuberant works full of joy and fun, be it a painting or a collaborative product with Nike or the Japanese fashion brand BAPE, among many others.
He said he doesn’t distinguish between commercial partnerships and his artwork.
“I just really enjoy working with other entities. I fi
nd it very inspiring and rewarding. I think that over time I’ve found that whenever I partner with another individual, whether it be a person or a company or a brand, you never really know what you’re gonna get,” he said. “I really enjoy that part of the process.”
Behind the colorful facade, however, he reveals his deep personal anxieties and his efforts to overcome them through repetitive paintings. The act of drawing and painting, despite being “a tedious, long process,” has been “very helpful and almost meditative” for him, he said.
Over time, he began developing “a series of works that were almost kind of cartoon strips” intended to humorously depict his “personal anxieties.” He realized those anxieties were largely self-imposed and “really just a figment of my own doings.”
The exhibition runs through July 14.
Source: Yonhap News Agency