Lamborghini and Gucci collaborator artist BFMIN opens solo exhibition “HELLOMAN: Nostalgia”
Inspired by doodles with his five-year-old son… capturing the purity of childhood on canvas
“Even a dulled heart beats again at a single ‘hello.’”
Hyundai Department Store Apgujeong Main Branch “Salon de H,” November 11–19… 24 paintings and hyper-limited-edition artwear unveiled
Seoul, November 14, 2025 | BCC Global Media — Artist BFMIN, who straddles popularity and artistry on the basis of graffiti and art, has opened his solo exhibition “HELLOMAN: Nostalgia.” The exhibition runs from November 11 to 19 on the 5th floor “Salon de H” at Hyundai Department Store’s Apgujeong Main Branch, presenting 24 paintings alongside hyper-limited artwear. A notable feature is the combination of a participatory flow tailored to the space with a retail collaboration format.
Exhibition Core: Translating childhood senses into the language of today
The artist connects the colors of sunsets embodied in childhood, the smells of air and wind, and the curiosity of first experiences to life today, expanding them into the “HELLOMAN” universe. The emotion of “the moment of waving to a far-away friend,” as stated in his working notes, flows through the tone of the entire exhibition. On site, the artist re-composed the rhythm of the surface through experiments that disrupt familiarity—left-hand drawing and improvised strokes. A multi-media workflow mixing spray and canvas with iPad drawings and graphics broadened the scope of realization.
Highlights: Memory, relationships, protection
- Sunset and the sentiment of return: translating the vastness and wistfulness of childhood twilight, and the crossroads of the heart that must head home, into color, blank space, and viewpoint.
- Inner passion: evoking tender consolation and energy at once through compositions that contrast shyness and liveliness.
- Homage to the companion dog “Bolt”: symbolizing double love with two heart motifs and visualizing memories of umbrellas and walks on rainy days as gestures of protection.
- Improvisational “rain” strokes: drawings that tap out thoughts as they arise like “tap-tap” rain to elicit empathy.
- Four-dimensional decomposition concept: inserting favored objects along the stream of consciousness to pursue intended dissonance and aesthetic balance together.
- Character “Claudia”: an intensive work combining a cloud face with a porcelain umbrella, conveying the simple texture of porcelain and a warm tactile feel.
From art to fashion, an IP expansion strategy
Building on IP management experience expanded through collaborations with Lamborghini, Gucci, and Cartier, BFMIN is running the “HELLOMAN Look,” which bridges exhibition and fashion. A particularly notable change in this exhibition is a shift in color strategy. Moving away from a colorful mood centered on seasonal pop-ups, the introduction of “HELLOMAN Dark (Black Line)” expands the aesthetic spectrum.
Product development proceeds by diversifying the application of originals and graphics (pattern prints, custom drawings on specific sections, insertion of embroidery and engraver artworks). Some caps and T-shirts are produced as single hyper-limited art pieces directly painted by the artist, for which dry cleaning is recommended. Signature designs—such as full-back print artworks and small HELLOMAN icons inside front pockets—are broadly favored across age groups, and a space theme serves as a repeatedly used key code.
On the materials front, eco-fabrics based on recycled PET bottles were adopted to enhance breathability and moisture absorption, reinforcing a sustainability message linked to the brand story. During the exhibition period, hyper-limited editions augmented with the artist’s painting will be presented, highlighting both the artistry and collectible value of the IP.
An art IP recognized by luxury brands
BFMIN has drawn attention through art collaborations with global luxury brands such as Lamborghini, Cartier, and Gucci. His original IP “HELLOMAN” meets the public in diverse forms, including exhibitions, brand collaborations, and media art.
HELLOMAN artworks recorded sellouts at the invited exhibition of the Seoul Design Festival and multiple solo shows, and the media artwork “Seoul Light DDP,” which adorned the 222-meter exterior façade of DDP, won the Red Dot Design Award (Main Prize) in 2023. Brand collaborations have also been carried out successfully, including the key visual for the grand opening of Lotte Mall Hanoi and the 7-Eleven cup-coffee collaboration.
Production and process: Multi-media in parallel and edition operations
Work proceeded with continuous accumulation of iPad drawings in parallel with spray and canvas both in the studio and on the move. Some works are provided in numbered limited editions with framing, suitable for collection and exhibition. The overall operational policy rests on maintaining consistency in the universe and compatibility of languages across media, with an ongoing update of participatory viewing experiences.
Viewing points: Participatory gestures and the revival of emotion
This exhibition proposes the recovery of “small greetings” to viewers. It allows a re-confirmation of the relational warmth that greetings, natural in childhood, can create in today’s urban context. On-site, poses and entry methods that can be experienced are designed so that the gestures of visitors contribute to the storytelling. To connect with an actionable message, the exhibition encourages viewers to recall a small “hello” they can practice within 24 hours of returning from the show.
Exhibition information
• Title: HELLOMAN: Nostalgia
• Artist: BFMIN
• Venue: “Salon de H,” 5F, Hyundai Department Store Apgujeong Main Branch
• Dates: Tuesday, November 11, 2025 – Wednesday, November 19, 2025
• Admission: Free
• Inquiries/Information: Instagram @helloman_look, KakaoTalk channel “HELLOMAN,” HELLOMAN.net
Editor’s note
This exhibition successfully anchors the tactile memories of childhood onto a retail collaboration format. The dwell experience of the audience, the collectible value of limited-edition artwear, and the actionable message through eco-materials function as the three pillars of IP expansion. The process by which the concise gesture of “hello” regains power in a social context meshes with the show’s sensorial staging on site, narrowing the gap between art and everyday life.
By Eden Hyewon Jang, BCC Global Media Content Manager