Soonja Han
e Buck Gallery is pleased to announce an upcoming exhibition of works by Paris-based artist Soonja Han, entitled The Space of Art – The Art of Space, curated by Sam Bardaouil and Till Fellrath of Art reOriented. The exhibition marks the artist’s first solo exhibition in New York, and will be on view from April 4 through May 11, 2013. An opening reception will be held at the gallery on April 4 from 6-8 PM, which the artist and curators are scheduled to attend.
The circle, the absolute pinnacle of geometric precision, stands as the centerpiece of both Han’s life and art. Her work is the result of a life-long dedication to the shape, manifesting itself in various compositions and combinations of circles across painting, drawing, sculpture and video. Han takes an obsessive interest in the motif, and pushes the limits of its usage, reflecting the vast expanse of her imagination and creativity. Circles are truly Han’s passion, for each canvas involves hours of the artist’s devoted attention – tracing, cutting, taping, and painting each of the hundreds of circles used per canvas by hand.
Under the guidance of Bardaouil and Fellrath, The Space of Art – The Art of Space, emphasizes Han’s stunning works not only in their own right, but more so in the context of who the artist is, as embodied by their integration of her vibrant studio into the white cube of the gallery space. Han’s studio – an amalgamation of canvases and drawings, as well as the round objects that serve as the artist’s inspiration – rubber bands, plastic cups, etc. – has been fully recreated for the exhibition, presenting the unique opportunity to explore and appreciate individual works within the context of the artist’s larger body of work, her process, and the environment in which they are born.
Soonja Han’s background reflects a marriage of the eastern and western artistic traditions, for she was born in Seoul, South Korea in 1952, and has studied painting at both Hongik University (Seoul) and the Ecole Nationale Superieure des Arts Decoratifs (Paris). She has lived and worked in Paris since the 1980s. Han’s work has been exhibited at museums and galleries worldwide, including recent exhibitions at the Soma Museum and Daegu Museum, both located in South Korea.
