Hangeul Wall Project
Ik-Joong Kang
Hangeul Wall: Things I Love to Talk About, 2024
The Hangeul Wall is a testament to Ik-Joong Kang’s artistic achievements, showcasing his first global public art project using Hangeul in a monumental installation. Launched in May 2024, the Hangeul Wall website invited people worldwide to create and submit artworks using the 24 Hangeul characters, inspired by the theme “Things I Love to Talk About,” all rendered in Kang’s distinctive typography. This vibrant platform became a global canvas where individuals from over 50 countries shared their most authentic, everyday experiences, fostering a unique space for love, encouragement, and reflections on life. Despite their different backgrounds, participants found common ground through their shared contributions.
In just two months, the Hangeul Wall website attracted over 8.2 million visits and received 7,000 submissions. From these, 1,000 insightful messages were selected through public online voting and curated by the artist for the final installation. The level of engagement elevated the Hangeul Wall as a symbol of both the Korean language’s cultural heritage and the universal freedom of expression. It successfully served as a bridge, connecting and empowering people to share their thoughts, and the result was a beautiful manifestation of philosophies, inspirations, and the essence of life.
For over 40 years, Kang has been a prominent figure in the contemporary art scene, seamlessly blending Korean cultural traditions with universal themes of love, hope, and human connection. His signature 3-inch canvas works offer a deeply personal yet universally resonant exploration of daily life and cultural identity. Kang's innovative use of 3-inch tiles to inscribe Hangeul characters and incorporate collective voices into this Hangeul Wall demonstrates his commitment to creating art that is both timeless and accessible. By inviting audiences to co-create through this digital platform, Kang has redefined the boundaries of artistic expression, emphasizing collaboration and shared experiences as the heart of his evolving creative journey.
Selection of 1,000 Hangeul Artworks
English translations are available on the laptop version. Please click on each artwork to access them.
Thankful
Love
Happiness
Relationships
Encouragement
Dreams / Hope
Peace
Self-Reflection / Self-Awareness
Life Lessons
Culture
Daily Life
All rights to submitted artworks, including those selected for display on the Hangeul Wall, are exclusively retained by the Ik-Joong Kang Foundation.
About Ik-Joong Kang
Internationally renowned for his public installation artworks, Ik-Joong Kang(b.1960) has transformed the use of 3 x 3 inch canvases into a symbolic medium of his artistic practices. By connecting each canvas to form a cohesive structure, Kang’s approach is dedicated to bridging cultural differences, diverse experiences, and the connection between past and present. Particularly, Hangeul has emerged as a central theme embodying concepts of ‘harmony’ and ‘coexistence,’ showcasing artworks that unite the voices of the world through the distinctive aesthetic of Hangeul. Kang's exploration of Hangeul began with “What I Know” (2019) as part of public engagement, leading to the monumental installation including “What I Know” at the Shanghai Expo Korean Pavilion (2010); “Bridge of Dreams” at Suncheon Bay National Garden (2013), and “Floating Dreams” at the Thames Festival in London (2016). Most recently, the artist presented “Arirang” at the 60th Venice Biennale’s Korean Pavilion in the celebration of its 30th anniversary special exhibition <Every Island is a Mountain> (2024).
Artist/Director of the Hangeul Wall Project: Ik-Joong Kang
Organizers:
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