Seonna Hong - "Late Bloomer"

 Hashimoto Contemporary is pleased to present Late Bloomer, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Seonna Hong. Returning for her fourth solo presentation with the gallery, the new works offer an introspective view of the artist’s perspective on her Korean-American identity, the climate crises and reflections on her place within community.

Hong’s signature expressionistic landscapes contain quiet narratives, balancing geometric abstraction with autobiographical figures. Energetic marks carve mountain ranges across the linen planes, boulders are formed from collaged palette components and delicate washes create atmospheric fog to form layered and complex landscapes. The artist’s characters explore the surreal scenes, searching for something just out of sight.

Reflecting on the ongoing climate crisis, many of the new works reflect on the collision between nature and human intervention. Flooded landscapes and ominous forms visually mirror the impending danger, while the artist’s studio practice seeks to offset. Utilizing studio detritus and discarded paint from her own palette in collage and repurposing past works to create new compositions.

A second generation Korean-American, this body of work reflects the artist’s contemplation of her identity as a third culture - neither fully American or Korean. Expanding on her previous work, centered around community and the duality of hope in the face of oppression, Late Bloomer celebrates the “belated but cherished revelation” of her innate connection of her work to her history. Akin to Joseon period Korean landscapes, Hong’s landscapes place diminutive figures amongst the largess and grandeur of nature. Pieces of Los Angeles can also be found throughout the work in architectural components and the saturated, bold colors throughout the exhibition - blending to create a reflection of the artist’s lived experience.