G-Dragon wears many hats. He is an exciting singer, an excellent songwriter, an innovative producer, a popular fashion icon, and now, a visual artist.
The BIGBANG leader kicked off the month of August with the opening of his first-ever art exhibition called “Untitled, 2017” in Taipei, Taiwan. The art showcase features his works prior to his mandatory enlistment, which began in February last year and is expected to end on October 26.
G-Dragon’s exhibit is currently mounted at the Dopeness Art Lab in Taipei. The paintings — seven in total — are fronted by the titular artwork; “Untitled, 2017,” the painting, has been reproduced and 300 copies were made for selling at $518 each.
Another popular attraction in the exhibit is the “Flower Road,” a painting that holds the same name as BIGBANG’s last single prior to their temporary hiatus. With 700 copies available for purchase, each copy is priced at $218.
The Taipei exhibit also features other artworks made by G-Dragon’s fans; these include a large sculpture located at the art gallery’s basement.
The show is only accepting 40 individuals per allotted time schedule to accommodate the number of fans who want to view the K-pop superstar’s art scene debut.
In the exhibit’s welcoming statement, G-Dragon explained that his paintings are inspired by the four seasons, and how flowers are symbolic of his supportive fans. Originally, he wanted to write down his emotions but ended up painting them.
The “Untitled, 2017” exhibit will run until the 18th. It will also be brought to other cities including Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai, and Jakarta.
While the exhibit surely has gained much fanfare, critics have noted that the activity is being used as an income-generating project while G-Dragon is currently serving the military.
Addressing the issue, the country’s Department of Defense explained that “income generated by copyrights before an individual's enlistment is not classified as a for-profit activity.”
YG Entertainment, G-Dragon’s agency, also released a statement pointing out that the art showcase “features commercialized versions of the original paintings created by G-Dragon prior to joining the military.”
The company also noted that the activity is held in celebration of the artist’s birthday. G-Dragon is turning 31 this August 18.
