Suki Seokyeong Kang

Kang was born in Seoul, South Korea.[1] She studied Oriental painting at Ewha Womans University and painting at the Royal College of Art, London. She is a professor of Korean painting at Ewha Womans University.[2]

As a painter, Kang focuses on Korean landscapes, leveraging traditional methods.[3]

Kang's multimedia work often takes the form of immersive installations.[4] Her 2017 project Black Mat Oriole incorporates sculpture, painting, and video.[1] The colors of the objects in the installation are based on colors from her paintings.[4] The work also included performers who carry and arrange objects, and sit and drag their bodies on the floor.[5]

Kang's installations all include objects that are liftable by the artist and any performers, and have sizes and weights that are at most as large as a standard human body.[4][5] This technique has been a catalyst to convey themes relating to the subjects of her work. For example, the shape of the sculpture Grandmother Tower was inspired by the posture of her grandmother.[4] She has also incorporated traditional hand-woven reed mats that she had commissioned.[6][5]

Among the themes of Kang's work are the coming together of individuals,[6] and how they both form community and experience their own histories.[3] She is also inspired by classical Korean poetry and dance.[1] Her installation work explores concepts relating to grids and their aesthetics, and how objects are arranged within a room.[1][5] Her style has influence from Jeongganbo, a form of Korean musical notation.[3]

Kang has a studio in Seochon.[6] She paints a gouache painting every day as part of her work.[6]

Kang's exhibitions have included the following:[1][2]

2019

• Land Sand Strand, Venice Biennale (Central Pavilion Arsenale)[7][8]
• Square See Triangle, Buk-Seoul Museum of Art Children's Gallery[3]

2018

• Black Mat Oriole (solo exhibition), Institute of Contemporary Art, Philadelphia
• Land Sand Strand, Liverpool Biennial[9]

2016

• The Eighth Climate
• Gwangju Biennale
• As the Moon Waxes and Wanes, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon
• Group Mobile, Villa Vassilief, Paris

2015

• Foot and Moon, Audio Visual Pavilion, Seoul

2013

• Grandmother Tower, Old House, Seoul

Kang was a recipient of a 2018 Baloise Art Prize.[2] She was also shortlisted for the SongEun Art Award in 2013–2014.[10]

Kang's work in the permanent collection of the Mudam Museum in Luxembourg,[11] the MMCA(National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art), Seoul Museum of Art, Booth Collection-University of Chicago, National Art Bank, Arario Museum, among others.

• Suki Seokyeong Kang (2019). Suki Seokyeong Kang: Black Mat Oriole. Institute of Contemporary Art, University of Pennsylvania & Roma Publications. p. 240. ISBN 9789492811547.

• Official website