Su
Kwak Bio
An exhibition of new
paintings by Su Kwak, abstract work that focus on her consciousness
of the phenomena of light and consequent boundaries apparent to her
in physical and spiritual senses, will open at the June Kelly
Gallery, 166 Mercer Street, on June 29. The exhibition,
entitled Crossing Boundaries, will remain on view through
July 28.
Crossing of boundaries in
the literal sense is unremarkable to Kwak, who came to the United
States from Busan, South Korea as a young adult. After years of
Washington, D.C. urbanization, Covid oddly prompted the hastening of
transitioning to a home in Greenwich, Connecticut. There, Kwak,
who grew up near the seashore of her native country again had access
to the waterside. For Kwak the simple act of walking her dogs
several times a day allows the prospect of observing transformations
of light in water and sky. Kwak says she perceives these
natural marvels occurring with the elements…land, sky, water, and
horizon as formation of boundaries. As she absorbs these
vistas, she is often cognizant of present global concerns of other
boundaries to be crossed such as with race, social or class issues.
Kwak’s perceived panoramic
compositions both visually and emotionally are sealed into memory.
“I paint from my memories. I absorb what I am seeing and then
back in my studio I paint from memory not from sketches or
photographs. I am interested in how memory works in the mind.
While her work appears
intensely serene, her vigorous rhythmic aggressive and Kwak rapid
brushwork reflect gestural methods of action painting as in
asymmetrical compositions, e.g., (Stillness of Waters, 2021).
Steadfast in purpose to
grasp the link between art and spirituality, Kwak’s use of light and
energetic circling line enables her to move beyond mere physical
interpretation of light and towards dynamic spiritual expressions
symbolic of the invisible soul. Kwak seeks to present concepts
and feelings from her memory in a tangible physical form and not
just report or record the immediacy of what her eye sees. She
aims to capture in material form that which she has experienced
internally in the heart. Toward this end, “When experience is
filtered through memory,” Kwak says, “everything but the essential
falls away.”
Rhapsodic line, passionate
hues of pigment, vistas beyond measure, the light, the air, all
heighten the psychological enigma of that perceived by the eye of
artist and viewer. Kwak summarizes her experiences with
documenting memory as she writes, Walking by the sea, Looking at
sunlight glistening on waves, Gazing at clouds and sky, Crossing
boundaries to all-encompassing love.
Kwak lives and works in
Stamford, Connecticut. She received a bachelor’s degree in art
from The University of St. Thomas, Houston, Texas, and a master’s
degree from the University of Chicago.
Kwak has participated in
many one-person and group exhibitions throughout the United States
and Korea. She is represented in numerous public and private
collections, including the Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso
University, Indiana; Jordan Schnitzer University of Art, University
of Oregon, Eugene; Busan Metropolitan Museum of Art, South Korea;
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwachon, Korea;
Gwangju City Museum, South Korea; Seoul Museum of Art, South Korea;
Total Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea; Asian American
Arts Centre, New York; Korean Embassy, Washington, DC, and Hale and
Dorr, Washington, DC.
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Born in Busan, Korea |
Education |
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1979 |
MFA, The University of
Chicago, Chicago, IL |
|
1977 |
BA, The University of St.
Thomas, Houston, TX |
Selected Solo Exhibitions |
|
2023 |
Su Kwak: Crossing
Boundaries, June Kelly Gallery, New York |
|
2019 |
Su Kwak: Light Cycle,
June Kelly Gallery, New York
Su Kwak: The Cosmic Light Series, curated by Dr. Jungsil Jenny Lee,
Brauer Museum of Art,
Valparaiso University, Indiana; catalogue
Circles of Light, HK Art and Antiques Gallery, New York |
|
2016 |
Cosmic Light, June
Kelly Gallery, New York |
|
2012-13 |
Su Kwak: Light
Journey-An Odyssey in Paint, Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso
University, IN;
traveling exhibition to Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art,
University of
Oregon, Eugene, OR; catalogue |
|
2009 |
Light and Time: New
Paintings, June Kelly Gallery, New York; catalogue
Light and Time: New Paintings, Sun Art Center-Sun Gallery, Seoul,
South Korea; catalogue |
|
2006 |
Healing Light, Sun
Art Center, Sun Gallery, Seoul, South Korea; catalogue |
|
2004 |
Healing Light,
June Kelly Gallery, New York; catalogue |
|
2002 |
Light Series, Jean
Art Gallery, Seoul, South Korea |
|
2001 |
Beyond Light Series,
Ellen Kim Murphy Gallery, Seoul, South Korea |
|
2000 |
Recent Paintings,
Korean Cultural Service, Washington, DC
Recent Paintings, University of Maryland Gallery, College Park, MD |
|
1997 |
Double Vision,
Gallery Korea, Korean Cultural Service, New York |
|
1996 |
Divided Light Series,
Sun Gallery, Seoul, South Korea |
|
1993 |
Recent Paintings,
Humphrey Gallery, New York
Visions of East and West, University of Maryland Gallery, College
Park, MD |
|
1992 |
Light Passages,
Gallery Korea, Korean Cultural Service, New York
Inner Light Series, New York Academy of Sciences, New York; traveled
to
University of Chicago, Midway Gallery,
Chicago, IL
International House Club, World Trade
Center, New Orleans, LA and
American Association for the Advancement of
Science, Washington, DC |
|
1986 |
Recent Paintings,
Jan Cicero Gallery, Chicago, IL |
|
1983 |
The Burning Bush
Series, Ward-Nasse Gallery, New York |
|
1982 |
The Burning Bush
Series, Elmhurst College Gallery, Elmhurst, IL |
Selected Group Exhibitions |
|
2023 |
Figures and Flowers, Asia Week NY, HK
Art and Antiques Gallery, New York |
|
2020 |
Time of Peace: Works
by Women Artists, HK Art and Antiques Gallery, New York |
|
2019 |
HK May Group
Exhibition, HK Art and Antiques Gallery, New York |
|
2018 |
Life of Women: Su
Kwak, Elizabeth Keith, Myong Hi Kim, Tricia Wright, curated by Heakyum
Kim, HK Art and Antiques LLC, New York |
|
2017 |
Celebrating 30 Years,
Group Artists: Drawings and Photographs, June Kelly Gallery, New York |
|
2016 |
Collateral Damage,
The Anya and Andrew Shiva Gallery, John Jay College of Criminal Justice,
CUNY, New York, NY |
|
2015 |
The Sun Shines for Us
All, Brauer Museum of Art, Valparaiso University, Valparaiso, IN
Visual Arts Exhibition Artist Fellowship Program 16, 200 I Street
Galleries, DC Commission on
the Arts and Humanities, Washington, DC
Chosen Homeland: Searching for Women’s Identity & Unity, the Korean
Cultural Center,
Washington, DC
Love & Healing, MK Gallery, Vienna, Virginia |
|
2014 |
New Art Collection,
curated by Marsha Ralls, Marriott Marquis, Washington, DC |
|
2012 |
Celebrating 25 Years,
June Kelly Gallery, New York |
|
2011 |
20 Years, 20 Artists,
The Ralls Collection, Washington, DC
Spread Your Vision Invitational, Ewha Art Gallery, Seoul, South Korea |
|
2010 |
Featured Artists,
Andrews Art Museum, Andrews, NC
First International Flag Festival, Jeolla Province, South Korea
33rd Anniversary 330 Artists, Sun Art Center, Sun Gallery, Seoul,
South Korea |
|
2009 |
Gallery Artists,
Sun Art Center-Sun Gallery, Seoul, South Korea |
|
2007 |
Pure and High: Lee
Gyuill Collection, Lee’s Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
New Acquisitions 2006, National Museum of Contemporary Art, South
Korea
Art DC International Art Fair, Gallery Athena-Paris, Washington, DC |
|
2006 |
The 1st Art & Welfare
International Design Invitation, Gongju National Museum, South Korea |
|
2005 |
Festival of World
Written Languages: 5th World Calligraphy Biennale, Jeollabuk-do, South
Korea
New Material: Tyvek, Samwon Paper Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
New York Eviction Blues, Asian American Art Centre, New York |
|
2004 |
A Universe of Art,
organized by Corporate Art Directions, Credit Suisse First Boston, New
York |
|
2003 |
Art for Art‘s Sake,
National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC
New Acquisitions, Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
4th World Calligraphy Biennale of Jeollabuk-do, South Korea
100 Year Anniversary of Korean Immigration to America, L.A. Hyun
Gallery, Los Angeles. CA
Contemporary Korean and Japanese Paintings, Jean Art Gallery, Seoul,
South Korea
Meditation, Gallery Light, Seoul, South Korea |
|
2002 |
100 Artists’ Show,
Gallery Light, Seoul, Korea
An Exhibition of Contemporary American Art in the Residence of Ambassador
and Mrs. Thomas C.
Hubbard, Art in Embassies Program,
Seoul, South Korea |
|
2001 |
24th Anniversary Show,
Sun Gallery, Seoul, South Korea |
|
2000 |
Seoul Art Fair,
Seoul Arts Center, represented by Sun Gallery, Seoul, South Korea |
|
1999 |
Contemporary American
Women Artists, Art in Embassies Program, United States Department
of State Ambassador to the Conference
on Disarmament, Geneva, Switzerland official
residence
Eat Art, Steinbaum Krauss Gallery, New York
New Wind: Korean American Artists, curated by Jack Rassmussen,
Rockville Art Place,
Maryland, traveled to the Maryland Art
Place, Baltimore
Six Artists, Myung
Sook Lee Gallery, New York Contemporary American Art, Art in
Embassies Program, Seoul, South Korea
Asian American Women Artists, curated By Norma Cohen. New World Art
Center, New York
Korean American Artists, curated by Deena Crosso, University College
Arts Gallery,
University of Maryland |
|
1997 |
20th Year Anniversary
Show, Sun Gallery, Seoul, South Korea
Summer Group Show, Marisa del Re Gallery, New York |
|
1996 |
Seoul International
Art Fair '96, Seoul, South Korea
Visions of the Next Generation, Seoul Arts Center Museum, Korea
Celebration of Ten Years of the Art of Science and Technology,
curated by Jeannette Murray,
American Association for the Advancement of
Science, Washington, DC
Introductions, Kouros Gallery, New York
Inaugural Exhibition, The American Center for Physics, College Park,
MD |
|
1994 |
Holiday Group Show,
Kouros Gallery, New York
Gallery Artists, Sylvia Schmidt Gallery, New Orleans, LA
Art from America, Artempo Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Members' Gallery Show, Albright-Knox Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York |
|
1993 |
Summer Group Show,
Marisa del Re Gallery, New York
111 International Artists for Peace, Gallery Bhak, Seoul, South Korea
Building Bridges, International Monetary Fund Art Gallery,
Washington, DC |
Public Collections |
|
Brauer Museum of Art,
Valparaiso University, Indiana
Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR
Busan Metropolitan Museum of Art, Busan, South Korea
Dae Lim Contemporary Art Museum, Seoul, Korea
Gwang Ju City Museum, Gwang Ju, South Korea
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, South Korea
National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, DC
Seoul Museum of Art, Seoul, South Koreal
Total Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul, South Korea
Youngeun, Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwangju, South Korea
Jeollabuk-do Cultural Department, Jeonju, South Korea
Gana Art Center , Seoul, South Korea
Sun Art Center, Seoul, Korea
Jean Art Center, Seoul, Korea
Korean Embassy, Washington, DC
Doosan Dong-A Co., Ltd. Seoul, South Korea
Asian-American Arts Center, New York
Arthur Anderson, Chicago, IL
Hale and Dorr, Washington, DC
Seyfarth, Shaw, Fairweather & Geraldson, San Francisco, CA
WilmerHale, New York
Thrall Enterprises, Inc., Chicago, IL
Hyatt Hotels, Oakbrook, IL
Marriott Marquis, Washington, DC |
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