Su Kwak Light Journey: An Odyssey in Paint

May 28, 2013 to July 28, 2013

Organized by the Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University and curated by Dr. Jungsil Lee, this retrospective exhibition of the art of Su Kwak brings together a body of work that affirms the artist’s distinctive use of light and color to affirm her spiritual life. As noted in the foreword of the exhibition catalog, “Viewers find that they can feel Kwak’s paintings as much as see them with their eyes; surfaces appeal to the sense of touch with their folds, tears, gestures, and textures. Acrylic paint enhances and encases areas in her pieces, acknowledging the artifice of art but also transforming what we know into something entirely new that engages us with its inventiveness” (Gregg Hertzlieb, Brauer Museum of Art Director/Curator).

Born in Busan, Korea, Su Kwak grew up near the seashore and the mountains of her native country. She moved to the United States in 1973 to attend college at the University of St. Thomas in Houston and later completed her MFA with honors at the University of Chicago. Kwak is represented by the June Kelly Gallery in Soho, New York, and the Sun Gallery in Seoul. Kwak’s paintings may be found in many museum collections in Korea, most notably in the prestigious National Museum of Contemporary Art. She has had numerous solo and group exhibitions in the United States and Korea.

Su Kwak: Light Journey: An Odyssey in Paint is organized by the Brauer Museum of Art at Valparaiso University and curated by Dr. Jungsil Lee, the JSMA presentation is made possible with the generous support of the Farwest Steel Korean Art Endowment.