SEOJUNG ART is delighted to welcome the onset of spring with Mellow Island, a solo exhibition by Simon Ko, running from March 15 to April 21, 2024. Simon Ko captures fragments of emotional exchange and moments of fulfillment encountered in daily life. His distinctive portrayal of figures and the equally unique texture of his canvases reflect the myriad emotions born from his experiences with relationships. In this exhibition, the turbulent emotions of love, trust, hatred, and frustration unfurl their flags and set sail toward the imaginary shores of 'Mellow Island'.
Mellow Island is an unattainably distant and elusive isle of fantasy, one that no amount of rowing can ever reach. Individuals embark on quests for that which is sweetly ripened, yet the island remains perpetually undiscovered. Instead, Mellow Island rewards seekers with the gift of relational maturity. Thus, this journey never ends in failure; rather, it matures by itself.
Simon Ko transforms everyday moments into extraordinary experiences. Mundane activities like visiting an interior shop to buy furniture, reminiscing about a failed party preparation, or spending a day in a hotel room while traveling are elevated to deeply intimate and significant facets of daily life. The artist reimagines these common moments with vividness, weaving reality with fantasy. His work juxtaposes factual scenarios with imaginative backgrounds or objects and crafts textures that accentuate tactile traces, fostering a synesthetic, three-dimensional appreciation. Moreover, his compositions, seemingly indifferent to perspective, honor the inherent flatness of painting, creating an impression of adherence to the medium's planarity. Ko's approach blurs all boundaries, provoking a desire to uncover the narratives within and around his pieces, drawing viewers deeper into the depicted stories and relationships.
'Mellow Island extends an invitation into Simon Ko's expansive world, presenting universally relatable situations that gradually guide the audience into a realm of fantasy. At the exhibition's entrance, a captivating wall painting crafted with modeling paste a medium characteristic of Ko's unique textural expression propels the canvas beyond the confines of the wall. Sculpted figures within this space appear to momentarily step out of the paintings for a brief respite, imbuing the scene with life. The expansive, swirling images hint at a challenging journey, yet prime the audience for complete immersion in the artist's envisioned fantasy world. Embarking on Simon Ko's journey aboard a precarious boat embodies a blend of beauty and fear, capturing something simultaneously fragile and brave.
