Itaewon, a British-born artist, was raised in South Korea, where he was inspired by Seoul’s energy and architecture, shaping his abstract painting style. Recently, he’s been exploring realism, blending it with his original approach to create engaging and relatable artwork.
Details
Artist:
Itaewon
Location:
East London
Year:
2024
Words:
Itaewon
Tagged:
Fine Art
Portrait
This artwork originated in my studio and marks the inception of a series of studies inspired by the arrival of my first child. I aimed to depict the profound journey from darkness to light, symbolizing not only my child’s birth but also the shared joy experienced by my partner and me.

Nothing prepares you to be a parent. No class you can take, no book you can read, no advice from friends and family. The reality of it is that it’s the most natural thing you will ever do.

When my son was born I didn’t paint or draw for the first month as I was understandably overwhelmed by the new routine of fatherhood. Once I had time to sit down it made the most sense to respond to the most intense moment of mine and my partners life so far. 

Although the memory of my son’s birth isn’t vivid through the lack of sleep and adrenaline, the intense moment has left a lasting impression. Amidst the shock, a few clear images stuck in my mind which I pieced together for a study in my studio. The most challenging part of composing the image was retaining enough focus on the realism to have that shine through, while the abstract motifs completed the rest of the realistic elements. In all of my paintings I try to have part of the painting speak to one another via direction of line, colour, shape repetition. In this particular painting it was important that my partners focus was firmly on my child, unwavering and elated. I painting him as more abstract to symbolise his coming into this new reality. This piece happens to be the first time I’ve taken one of my studio paintings and replicated it large scale on the street, a process which I will take forward.

"

An NHS midwife asked me about the piece and when I explained the story behind it she said she found it beautiful and that she’s sure many people will be able to relate to the imagery."

Itaewon