Refraction Abstraction
Group Exhibition
Curated by Sigourney Schultz
September 28–November 9, 2024
Helen J Gallery is thrilled to present “Refraction Abstraction,” a group exhibition featuring works by Yoon Jongju, Candice Joo, Minku Kim, Hyemin Lee, Alex Paik, Han Sungwoo, and Park YoungHa.
“Refraction Abstraction” showcases a dynamic collection of works by leading Korean abstract artists, offering a new perspective on the legacy of the 1970s Dansaekhwa (monochrome painting) movement. These artists responded to the troubled period following the Korean War (1950–53) by condensing the formal qualities of their post-industrial reality. The artists on view present varied responses to abstraction that reflect this legacy across the Korean American diaspora, engaging themes of community, the natural world, and collective memory.
Yoon Jongju’s meditative surfaces, arranged in sequential grids, abstract the linearity of time. Candice Joo’s artificial landscape paintings contend with the natural world while creating space between the real and the virtual. Minku Kim’s explorations into pictorial space compress space and time while referencing the rich colored panels of Korean hanbok. Hyemin Lee uses fragments of discarded, traditional Korean garments to evoke forgotten memories through her works. Alex Paik’s modular, paper-based wall installations explore perception, interdependence, and improvisation while engaging with the complexities of social dynamics. Han Sungwoo’s recent works take inspiration from landscapes between seasons and render these scenes abstract through rough, textured brushstrokes. Park YoungHa activates the surface of his paintings using a mixture of fine sand, gold dust, and stone powders, calling back to the traditional mud-plastered walls of rural Korean houses.
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Yoon Jongju ︎︎︎ (b. 1971) lives and works in Daegu, South Korea. The artist earned a degree from the Department of Painting at Keimyung University Graduate School in Daegu.
Candice Joo ︎︎︎ (b. 1983) lives and works in Seoul, South Korea. Joo earned a BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York City in 2006 with a focus on architectural design. Joo began her career as an artist in 2015, focusing on painting and sculpture.
Minku Kim ︎︎︎ (b. 1989) studied at the Cooper Union School of Art before attending the Maryland Institute College of Art, where he received his BFA in painting. He then studied at the New York Studio School in New York City, where he earned his MFA in sculpture. Kim has held numerous residencies, including the Drawing Marathon and Sculpture Marathon at the New York Studio School Drawing Painting & Sculpture. Kim lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Hyemin Lee ︎︎︎ (b. 1968) studied Sculpture in Seoul National University and received her MA at NYU. Lee frequently travels and works between Korea and the United States.
Alex Paik ︎︎︎ (b. 1981) is an artist, community builder, curator, and writer based in Los Angeles. He is the Founder and Director of Tiger Strikes Asteroid, a non-profit network of artist-run spaces and serves on the Steering Committee at GYOPO, a collective of diasporic Korean cultural producers and arts professionals.
Han Sungwoo ︎︎︎ (b.1984) received his MFA in Painting from the Korea National University of Arts, Seoul, Korea, and his BFA from Korea University, Seoul, Korea.
Park YoungHa ︎︎︎ (b. 1954) graduated from Hong-Ik University in Seoul. He has had numerous solo exhibitions in Korea, Japan, the United States, Europe, and Australia. His paintings are in the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Kwachon, the Ho-Am Art Museum, Seoul, and the National Museum of Art, Canberra, Australia, among others.
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Helen J Gallery is a contemporary art gallery based in Los Angeles. Specializing in Asian art and design, the gallery features vibrant programming and exhibitions geared towards embracing Asian culture and the diaspora. Our program aims to promote artists from various geographic locations and diverse backgrounds, foster cross-continental dialogue, and broaden the understanding of Asian culture in the Los Angeles area and beyond.
For press inquiries, please contact info@helenjgallery.com.