Chapter 96

96

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“I am working here as usual. By next weekend, the first part of the ceiling work, which is more precisely the painting work, is expected to be completed. Once the painting is revealed, money will start coming in. Then, I plan to return home and take a month off to rest.”

– The Letters of Michelangelo, vol. 1, p. 54 –

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“A gallery?”

“Mr. Artist, are you thinking of setting up a gallery?”

Jin Doo-wook, the director of the Bloom Art Museum, looked at Kang Seok with a greatly surprised face, holding back his words.

Honestly, Kang Seok's actions were as transparent as glass, and Jin Doo-wook had a vague idea of what was happening.

If someone has such a strong sense of ownership over their work that they only lend it, they would eventually set up a place to store their work. That's what he thought. However, he didn't expect it to happen so quickly.

‘I thought it would only happen when there was no suitable exhibition space...’

It was too fast. If this happened, even the Miami Beach Fresco Exhibition Hall's gift shop couldn't be guaranteed. His steps, which had been moving forward, began to be drawn to Kang Seok.

While Jin Doo-wook was walking towards Kang Seok with a pale face,

Ryu Jung-hyung was also approaching Kang Seok and Park Sun-woo, organizing his thoughts.

When Ryu Jung-hyung conducted his preliminary investigation, the 6th and 7th floors of the Renaissance Shopping Mall were being used as a small cinema.

‘But when I went to see the building after it was purchased, the entire 7th floor was an empty space.’

I remember hearing that the 7th floor was listed as a rental property with nearby real estate agencies due to the cinema's financial losses.

I reported this at the time, but because the situation was so urgent, the 7th floor was already under a lease.

‘I thought you would proceed with the eviction when you bought the building... Was the 7th floor tenant Mr. Kang, the artist?’

Ryu Jung-hyung looked at Kang Seok with a surprised face.

Kang Seok was a high school senior, still in his third year, who hadn't even graduated yet.

Of course, he wasn't surprised by Kang Seok's talent or skills.

Ryu Jung-hyung was a recognized talent in Korea, having followed an elite course in the art world from a young age. His experience led him to his current position as a board member of the San Gang Cultural Foundation and as Park Sun-woo's right-hand man... Yet, even to someone like Ryu Jung-hyung, Kang Seok's actions were astonishing.

‘No matter how much confidence and self-assurance he has in his work... The fact that he leased the 7th floor where his work is...’

It might seem like an overinterpretation, but if my intuition is correct, Kang Seok might have started with the 7th floor lease, intending to eventually own the 8th floor as well.

Kang Seok's strong sense of ownership over his work.

And Park Sun-woo, who, recognizing this, bought the entire building to gift the only piece he couldn't own.

Both were impressive in their own ways.

Ryu Jung-hyung whistled and stood beside Park Sun-woo.

Park Sun-woo was smiling, finding Kang Seok's idea of setting up a gallery amusing. At that moment, Jin Doo-wook, the director, asked Kang Seok with a face pale as death.

“Did you say a playground... Then, will all of Mr. Kang's works be moved to the 7th floor of the Renaissance Shopping Mall?”

In response to Jin Doo-wook's question, Kang Seok shook his head.

“Of course not. It's too small for that.”

“...Too small?”

Jin Doo-wook tilted his head, as if to say, "Is it really?"

Kang Seok nodded, as if to confirm.

Strange. Jin Doo-wook recalled. He had visited the 8th floor of the Renaissance Shopping Mall several times and had also been to the 7th floor.

The 7th floor, which I remember as a small cinema, had a large screen and spacious auditoriums that could accommodate over 200 people each... Jin Doo-wook tilted his head in confusion.

Even if all the seats and installations were removed, it wouldn't be small at all... What kind of work is he planning to put in there that he says it's too small?

While naturally gauging what kind of work Kang Seok was preparing, Jin Doo-wook also breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that not all of Kang Seok's works would be supplied to his gallery.

‘Right. Honestly, Mr. Kang produces works so quickly... Wait, what if people keep commissioning buildings like Mr. Park? Then, would he open a gallery in each new building?’

While Jin Doo-wook was feeling anxious again,

Park Sun-woo urged him to continue walking, saying it was all for the best.

“Now that you are officially the building owner, I can finally return your deposit.”

Park Sun-woo smiled, relieved that he could finally return the deposit.

“Ah, that’s right.”

Kang Seok nodded.

Since Park Sun-woo had taken over the lease from the previous owner, he couldn't return the deposit and rent to Kang Seok until the building was officially transferred, which must have been quite a hassle.

“Since you don’t like complicated matters, there are a few leases on the basement level that I will handle soon. I’ll send one of our agents or ask Mr. Ryu to help, so don’t worry. Okay?”

“Yes, I appreciate that.”

“By the way, setting up a gallery will require a lot of attention to details. Would you like us to send someone from the San Gang Cultural Foundation to help?”

“Huh?”

“No, since our Mr. Kang is setting up a gallery, I can certainly offer some help. What do you think?”

“Ah! Our Bloom Art Museum can also send a few people, like curator Jin Yumi. It will be quite busy, but it will be helpful in the early stages.”

As they approached the courtyard, Park Sun-woo and Jin Doo-wook looked at Kang Seok. Hmm. Kang Seok looked at Park Sun-woo and Jin Doo-wook with a perplexed expression.

The art world, from the past to the present, is still about connections and money. While marveling at this unchanging truth, Kang Seok nodded at the continuous offers.

“...Let’s meet up when you contact me soon.”

Park Sun-woo smiled, agreeing with Kang Seok.

“Great. Let’s do that.”

“I’ll contact you when I have a convenient date.”

“Sure. I’ll contact you. Thank you for your help.”

As Kang Seok opened the door leading to the courtyard, Park Sun-woo and Jin Doo-wook were about to wave it off, saying it was no big deal.

But their attention was completely captured by what they saw through the open door. Ryu Jung-hyung was already leaning in, nose almost touching the door.

.

.

.

White sky.

White sun.

Green pine trees, maintaining their winter green beyond the gray stone wall, and the white scenery visible between them.

The sound of a winter waterfall, ringing out as ice chunks fall.

And the two massive sculptures, standing against the stone wall, forming a single line.

“Beautiful.”

Yang Seon-gu sat on the veranda, stroking his beard and smiling softly. His eyes, which had been fixed on the sculptures, glanced to the side.

In the slightly dilated pupils of Yang Seon-gu, the eyes of three people, lost in the sculptures through the gaps in the wooden door, appeared.

In order, they were Ryu Jung-hyung, Park Sun-woo, and Jin Doo-wook.

Their eyes, red like those peeping at the fairy's hot spring, caught Yang Seon-gu's attention for a moment before his gaze returned to the sculpture Kang Seok had created.

The sculpture had been completed and unified by the mobile tower crane operators the day before.

Amazing.

Yang Seon-gu's gaze focused on the woodcutter's outstretched hand and the fairy's foot that fit perfectly into it, as if the heavy foot was really being held.

It was as if the two stones had been carved from a single piece, fitting together perfectly.

– “Just place the fairy in the woodcutter’s hand using the crane.”

When he initially suggested placing the fairy's foot between the woodcutter's palms and removing the crane, Yang Seon-gu was shocked.

– “It’s really fine now.”

– “But we need to install safety measures and reconsider. If we do it wrong, the fairy sculpture might tilt, and the woodcutter could break and be completely ruined.”

– “Teacher, it’s really fine.”

When Kang Seok first said this, Yang Seon-gu rushed over, thinking it was impossible... But the sculpture maintained its stability, as if a ballerino was supporting a ballerina's leap with one hand.

The pose was so stable, it was as if the fairy, wearing a winged dress and holding two children, was rising into the sky, while the woodcutter, with his hanbok front unbuttoned, was chasing after her, grabbing one of her feet.

Rising high into the air.

A truly fitting pose for its name.

Most impressively, the detailed depiction was astonishing. The delicate veins and tendons on the carved flesh were almost unbelievable.

Sculptors usually excel in either the lines of a woman or a man, leaning towards one or the other. Especially young sculptors.

Life is too short to master every technique, so sculptors inevitably choose one path.

Perfect balance is impossible.

People are born unable to maintain a balanced stance, like a scale.

Artists, shaped by their environment, words they hear, and the values and philosophies they form, are always inclined.

Not just artists. Any profession that involves expressing thoughts is always on a slant. Yang Seon-gu stroked his beard, organizing his thoughts.

His gaze swept over the fairy, capturing a moment in the sky, and the woodcutter, capturing a moment on the ground. The fairy perfectly embodied the lines of a woman, while the woodcutter embodied the lines of a man.

“Isn’t it amazing? This is the work of a man who just turned twenty four days ago.”

Yang Seon-gu spoke to the air.

Not exactly to the air.

In front of him stood three figures, drawn in as if spellbound. In order, they were Ryu Jung-hyung, Park Sun-woo, and Jin Doo-wook.

Especially Ryu Jung-hyung and Jin Doo-wook, who were more deeply immersed in art, were looking at the sculpture as if they were in love.

They were just standing there, staring.

No point in expecting an answer. Yang Seon-gu smiled softly and slowly stood up.

When he first saw the sculpture, which seemed to be joined like a tongue and groove in wood, he was captivated and couldn’t look away.

He knew from the beginning, but would they realize that the two sculptures were made from different stones? Yang Seon-gu slowly moved, finding it amusing to think about asking them later.

At the end of his steps, Kang Seok was standing, looking at the three men with a satisfied expression. His eyes were unusually bright. Yes, Kang Seok was smiling.

Yang Seon-gu chuckled.

“Mischievous. Creating a work that captivates people and being satisfied with it.”

“A work should be like that to have meaning.”

Yang Seon-gu's hanbok fluttered in the cold winter wind. Watching the wind play with the ends of Yang Seon-gu's hanbok, Kang Seok nodded with a peculiar expression.

“The wind is blowing. It’s time to turn it on.”

He was going to activate that strange thing. Yang Seon-gu nodded, also finding it amusing.

Kang Seok smiled and slowly approached the sculpture.

The three men were still staring at the work in a daze. Kang Seok seemed to be watching them, then he pressed a button on the ground with his foot.

A small noise followed, and something began to move slowly.

This was why Kang Seok had been diligently carving a thin path inside the fairy's body throughout the sculpting process.

.

.

.

Jin Doo-wook was the first to notice the change.

Jin Doo-wook was looking at the fairy rising into the sky, her delicate lines and the fabric she clutched, which were so finely detailed that he couldn’t even gasp in amazement.

He thought Kang Seok only knew how to create strong impressions, but he was also capable of such delicacy. Jin Doo-wook wondered what kind of life Kang Seok had lived to create such a sculpture.

Then,

White mist began to rise from the fairy's winged dress. Thinking it might be a whiteout, Jin Doo-wook stepped back in confusion. It wasn’t a whiteout; real smoke was swirling around.

“What... What is this?”

Is there a fire? Surprised, Jin Doo-wook quickly retreated. He had moved back almost halfway across the courtyard. His pupils grew larger.

Only then did he see it.

White smoke was swirling vividly around the fairy's winged dress.

It was not smoke but a cloud.

“This... What is this...”

It was as if a cloud was enveloping her.

97. Small things make perfection.