Art Hag

Arario Gallery in Chlesea is the fourth location of the Arario Gallery family. Founded in 1989 by businessman and art collector, Ci Kim, in Cheonan, Korea, there are also branches in Seoul and Beijing. Arario exhibits art by well-known as well as up-and-coming Asian artists.

Currently on view at the West 25th Street location is Seoul-born and based artist Osang Gwon's Deodorant Type, a series of frighteningly life-like photo-sculptures. The 35-year-old Gwon developed his photo-sculpture technique, which he calls Deodorant Types, while studying at Hong-Ilk University in Seoul. A sculpture is composed of pink foam cut and formed into his subject's body-shape and then covered in thousands of color photos he's taken of his sitter. The artist "meticulously shoots every inch of his sitter's clothing, skin and hair while also paying close attention to their facial expressions and postures." The results are creepily realistic and resemble people mummified in strips and strips of packing tape tightly wrapped around every inch of their bodies. Most of the figures on exhibit are life-size, but the first one you see upon entering the gallery is over 8-feet-tall, and there are two mini versions on view as well.

Gwon's work may look familiar to fans of the English band Keane. While Gwon was working on a month-long residency in Manchester, England, the band commissioned him to create Deodorant Types of each member for the artwork of their album Perfect Symmetry. See pictures of the process, the results, and read a short Q&A with Gwon at creativereview.co.uk. Read another interview with Gwon where he discusses his work process in detail at flavorwire.com.

Gwon's Deodorant Types are fascinating in their construction and their real-ness. In the spirit of Halloween, I'd hate to be left alone in the gallery overnight with these guys - especially Metabo, the chain-saw wielding gal. Learn more at ararionewyork.com. Through October 24th.

Osang Gwon, Blu Ray S (left) and Blu Ray (right), 2009