“My work is primarily inspired by my experience with and understanding of nature. These continuously accumulated connotations from the world I live in are mostly constructing the engine of my creation. I often use metaphoric and empathic notions to reconstruct elements from nature during my process in the making. I discover the occurrence of the beauty of freedom when I rearrange their placements. It maybe sounds like some shocking effects from typical surrealistic approaches. But my goal is not to emulate an impact or any surprise. I hope to engage with the viewer through these imaginative elements that can be extremely valuable as space activators in my work. I would like to see these implied aspects speak to the viewer as poetry does.  My recent paintings are centered around dualistic aspects of image-making and dismantling the images simultaneously. I enjoy finding the mid-ground between representational forms and pure abstract formality such as lines, planes, and colors. If representative form symbolizes the natural world we live in, pure forms with minimalistic methods represent our philosophy and the integrity of our life. My recent paintings play with this juxtaposition.”

Image Credit: “Soundless Poem,” acrylic, 24″ x 24″, 2023 by Jinsoon Oh