AH-YOUNG JEON

About

Artist Ah-young Jeon's show titled, Think Again: Hidden Feelings, becomes about taking a closer look at the relationships between the visionary world created by Jeon and the environment in which it is situated.

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The result is a razor-sharp contrast between the industrial neighborhood situated in the heart of Seoul, South Korea, and the pristine gallery interior and your encounter with the eruptive color hardly contained within the walls of the building.

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Ah-young Jeon's vision is present in unexpected places throughout the space, turning small gestures into intangible experiences that can only live on through memory. Such is the case with the heart painted directly onto the floor, complete with an innocent, but confident-looking face and a written message that reads; HEY, Don't underestimate my power you will be surprised for sure.

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Jeon's curation of the space at first glance seems misleadingly direct, almost overwhelming the viewer with an entourage of colors and cheerful-looking characters. The experience of this alone is enough to satisfy, but Jeon doesn't leave it there, if the guests take the time to read the captions on each painting they are truly rewarded with surprises of depth and nuance that can seem at odds with the images. Other works such as the floor, mirror, and vase paintings incorporated throughout the exhibit act as buttresses to a visual feast.  

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In one painting titled Get Off of Me, a silhouette-like painting of a horse's head is accompanied by the title superimposed onto its body; the horse seems to be speaking directly to the viewer in an almost sardonic tone; referring to an old idiom about judgment and status.

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The show is accompanied by a conceptual cafe with a specially created menu where the guests are invited to slow down and continue the sensory experience via their tastebuds; with drinks such as Dream Ade which is in and of itself a refreshingly unique experience, Ah-young Jeon leaves the viewers with no excuses to miss what she has offered.

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As Jeon suggests within the exhibit title, all of what is presented both in this exhibit as well as in our day-to-day lives become a much wealthier experience once we take the time to Think Again and truly discover those Hidden Feelings within.

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Ah-young Jeon was born in Seoul, South Korea in 1984. She traveled abroad to the United States to study the arts, where she earned both her BFA and MFA. After graduating she was represented by two galleries that focused on emerging artists in San Francisco. She lived and worked in San Francisco for over 15 years before returning to South Korea where she now continues her work.

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Notable past exhibits include Solo shows - Never Again, 79 Atelier Gallery, Group exhibits''Sugar High'' (The McLoughlin Gallery), San Francisco 2013, Firehouse 8 San Francisco 2015, Code and Canvas 2014.

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Click here to watch a preview video