He can sing, he can dance, and he’s a talented visual artist too.
A member of the K-pop boy group Seventeen, Xu Minghao (also known as The8), is a multi-talented artist. While most people know him as part of the group’s dance unit, he has also often shown his passion for painting.
This year, running from October 11-15, the StART Art Fair will be featuring 11 of The8’s pieces in an exhibit. The Saatchi Gallery in London is hosting the event.
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The international event is a milestone for The8’s career as a visual artist, something he has been quietly cultivating over time. “Until now, The8 has communicated with fans not only through music but also through art,” Rolling Stone Korea wrote.
“Unlike his powerful performances, he calmly expressed his inner calm but firmness on canvas, showing his serious side as an artist. His works, which contain unique colors that reflect his diverse emotions, are expected to receive great attention from the public.”
The8’s music video for “Hai Cheng” featured one of the paintings in the exhibit. According to the artist, it’s one of his most memorable pieces of work. In an interview with Arena Homme, he mentioned that he came across the heart-shaped rock in the painting by chance. He eventually worked on the piece for three months.
The8 has also teased some of the other paintings on his social media, such as the matching blue and yellow pieces.
“It is an honor to once again participate as a domestic representative at the StART Art Fair at a time when the whole world is paying attention to Korean culture. We will focus on discovering potential domestic artists and strive to raise the status of the Korean art world,” said an official from StART Art Fair.
Banner image via Instagram @xuminghao_o.
