SATURATION

an exploration of traditional Korean art media by Korean and American artists

in collaboration with Korean Painting Association

December 12 – 19, 2020

Artists: Jeong Min Ha, Mi Hye Ha, Hong Soon Joo, An Soon Jang, Moon Kyung Jung, Jong Rae Kang, Chun Ok Kim, Hyun Sook Kim, Sunh Heui Kim, Yoon Soon Kim, Hee Yeon Kwon, Seungeun Lee, Sook Jin Lee, Soon Ae Lee, Kyong Mi Oh, Mi-Young Phark, Ha Soon Shin, Keun Young Song, Jae-Yeon Woo, Mu Yang Jeong, Hee Seung Yu

Curators: Won Sil Kim and Moon Kyung Jung

Exhibit Opening Saturday, December 12, 11am – 5pm

*To attend, please RSVP to info@solacontemporary.org*

Catalog: Available to view on issuu

Saturation is a collaboration of SoLA and KPA (Korean Painting Association), exploring art made using traditional Korean pigments and paper. Although we would have loved to meet the artists in person and experience the convergence of our cultures, we are happy to have made the best of this difficult pandemic and its effects on travel and shared physical experiences. We are grateful to be able to receive and exhibit the art works of both Korean and American artists together as we find innovative ways to maintain and continue to build our creative culture together.

Before the pandemic, Korean American artist and SoLA board member, Won Sil Kim together with Korean artist, Moon Kyung Jung, a board member of KPA, proposed this exhibition with the intention of providing workshops and demonstrations using traditional Korean pigments, brushes and paper. Pieces from these workshops were to then be shown alongside each other.

Unfortunately, travel restrictions during the lockdown prevented the Korean artists, members of KPA, from travelling to the US, as planned. Moon Kyung Jung instead shipped supplies to SoLA, and with the help of Won Sil Kim, a group of 6 American artists learned how to use these materials to create art works for the upcoming exhibition, Saturation. Works from 21 of the Korean participants in this project will be shipped to Los Angeles to be shown alongside the American works. A Catalog will be produced and available online, along with select original pieces.

This exhibition will be on view in the gallery during the SoLA 2020 Pandemic Winter fundraiser. For more information on the small works juried show, please visit Saturation.

Thank you to Moon Kyung Jung for shipping the beautiful pigments and paper across the globe for the American artists to experience and to Won Sil Kim for organizing this project.

About the Organizers

Moon Kyung Jung is currently a board member of the Korean Painting Association, and a recipient of numerous awards including the Award of Merit: “Inventive Mixed Media” from the Fine Arts Factory in the USA, Honourable Mentions for “Landscape Mindscape”, “PSA”, “Stuck on Collage”, and “Multicultural Language of Art” to name a few. Jung has held 15 solo exhibitions in Korea, Austria, and the USA. Jung was an adjunct professor at ChungAng University.

Won Sil Kim was born in Korea, and educated in Seoul, with a BFA from Sung Shin Women’s University and MFA from Graduate School Sung Shin Women’s University Seoul. She has had many solo shows in Los Angeles and Seoul, Korea since 1990. Kim works also as a curator. She served on the board for LA Artcore for two years, is a member of Korean Artists Association of So Cal and LA Art Association. She is currently on the board of directors for SoLA Contemporary.

Statement from KPA President, Chun-Ok Kim

From the beginning of 2020, Covid-19 has spread and the world has come to a status that we have not experienced before. This not only negatively impacted humanity and the economy, but the doors to culture and arts world have been shut as well. While interactions between countries were cut off, and in the midst of many other difficulties, being able to exhibit and share Korean painting at SoLA Contemporary in U.S. bears great meaning to us.

The Korean Painting Association, founded to develop traditional Korean painting, was established with the purpose to promote and exchange Korean art around the world, along with K‐POP. As a response to the great support we’ve received through last year’s art tour in Korea, we are preparing for this special exhibition.

United States has always been an invaluable friend in the modern history of Korea. U.S. is also more connected in many ways than most of the other countries in the world. We have many cultural differences, but this inspires appreciation and curiosity for one another.

The special exhibition at SoLA Contemporary is very highly anticipated. We truly believe that there is greater value than being able to share and exchange each other’s culture. Which goes to say, that we are very sad and disappointed that we were not able to view the exhibition face-to-face, due to Covid-19.

We are deeply grateful to the director of SoLA Contemporary for hosting this exhibition despite the difficulties around Covid‐19. We will provide support in the best way possible from Korea for a successful exhibition. Additionally, we would like to express our gratitude and give congratulations to the participating American artists who have made great works for this exhibition.

We hope this exhibition will provide an opportunity, not only to see Korean painting, but also to exchange and share different cultures. We will continue to send support and cheer from Korea.