Expat artist Loren Rudisuela is running an exhibition on identity in Seoul.

“You Keep Me Under Your Spell” looks at how people’s image of themselves matures and adapts to social obligations.

Rudisuela said the exhibition had been divided into two parts to explore the theme.

“The first room represents our youth, when we are struggling to find ourselves,” he said. “The pulling and pushing we can feel from family and social groups to become a certain person is explored here. The second room explores our adult identity and the desires and expectations we feel about the world and ourselves.”

The theme spreads into the interaction between identity and suicide, which Rudisuela said he had been motivated to do because of the prominence of suicide in Korea.

“Often when growing up we can feel an overwhelming pressure from the world to be something we are not. When one cannot stand to live in a world where one doesn’t fit in, where there seems to be no hope for a happy existence, some choose a path to suicide.”

Rudisuela often merges Korean motifs with mechanical elements in his art, creating sometimes grotesque images.

“I like to explore the idea of how people create identity with the products they consume. People often buy a new car or want some special products because of the image associated with that product. The mix of these with our natural sense of self creates a warping in character,” he said, adding that the result of this assimilation could be toxic.

“The work is also inspired by the idea of the pollution of our bodies by the products we consume.”

The show is the first to include a sculpture by Rudisuela. He said that he found it a much freer, simpler medium than his paintings, which were carefully planned and detailed, and he compared to an essay.

“The sculptures, were simple and conveyed the meaning I wanted to the viewer quickly. It was this ease of communication and strong visual impact that led me to explore sculpture for the show,” he said.

The show runs at Gallery i in Insa-dong from noon to 8 p.m. until May 20. The gallery is closed Mondays.

By Paul Kerry (paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)