inkyung kwon

Korean artist Inkyung Kwon’s meticulously inked collages explore city life from hard-hitting psychological perspectives. Like an organism, the city has evolved alongside her, refocusing her gaze on the lives of significant others who co-exist within. Inkyung’s works are inspired by her brother’s battle with aphasia, his altered state, and growing sense of isolation from the outside world. Through her Jingyeong (True View) landscapes, she considers the contradictory nature of individuals like her brother; those who desperately seek seclusion one moment, and cry out for human connections the next.

Inkyung is fascinated by the psychology of private space and the relationships between human beings and the sanctuaries closest to their hearts. In this light, the city plays out like a series of fortresses and heartlands, each of which shelters her from the deepest and darkest crevices of human existence. From progression and regression, triumph and defeat, or even life and death, she invites us all to find our elements and harmonize life’s extremes within her eclectic portfolio. Indeed, as Inkyung’s intimate terrains overlap vintage ephemera, ink and pigments, they extend their reach and edge us ever closer to a point of stability and peace.

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mia kim

In her younger days, Korean artist Mia Kim graduated from the department of horticulture and visual design before working as an ambitious textile designer in the city. Now an aspiring painter, Mia’s trademark style converts urban chaos into environmentally safe spaces in which to decompress from the capitalistic deluge of our times. Her simple geometric shapes, eye-catching color combinations and pronounced contours visualize the hidden narratives of solitary city slickers as they negotiate the often dark and destructive truth lurking beneath the materialistic surface. Like a forest of potted house plants purifying the interior air, Mia’s spatial re-workings facilitate a poignant return to nature for those in search of their roots.

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jeongrock heo

The spirit of the city has long mesmerized Korean artist Jeongrock Heo. Through his dramatic urbanscapes, he attempts to capture the novel architecture and bustling energy that first captivated him whenever he visited Seoul as a child. Indeed, Seoul is a metropolis that has broadened Jeongrock’s mind, empowering him to become the artist he is today. 

Employing harmonious color gradations, Jeongrock expresses the dynamic movement of the clouds, accentuates the fragmented beauty of neon lights in the rain, and celebrates refreshing moments of joy as experienced on the move. “Zoning out,” he recreates the calming, dreamlike sensations that wash over him during moments of mobility, encouraging his audience to embrace the warmth and unseen wonders of big city life.

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