[Exhibition of the Week] Ham Doha Solo Exhibition 'POP! DOHA' · Chaoja Solo Exhibition 'Our Garden Needs Its Flowers' and More

Editor's NoteThis week's exhibitions introduce a variety of diverse and captivating shows that can be experienced nationwide over the course of one week.

▲ Ham Doha Solo Exhibition 'POP! DOHA' = The Trinity at Grand Hyatt Seoul Gallery is hosting a solo exhibition by artist Ham Doha. The artist presents new paintings that depict stories of interaction among 'emotional furniture'?a series of works projecting human emotions onto furniture that functions as human tools.

Ham Doha_Emotional Morijang-Ten Symbols of Longevity02_MDF, Steel, Painting, Veneer, Mother of Pearl_54.5x68.5x50.5cm_2024. [Photo by The Trinity Gallery]

The 'chair,' which is the greatest source of inspiration for the artist, is an essential piece of furniture in our daily lives. These works actively express eight emotions unique to humans, offering a delightful viewing experience, and the process of discovering the hidden stories within often provides unexpected inspiration.

In this way, the artist redefines furniture as an art genre, liberating passive objects into beings with personalities through the infusion of condensed emotions. The new painting series unveiled for the first time in this exhibition features Ham Doha's signature characters: 'DONA,' a chair with a hole in the backrest, and 'TOM,' one with a smooth back.

Watching them secretly hiding flowers behind their backs and knocking, enjoying a rubber duck and bubble bath, or sharing coffee against a sunset backdrop?actions only humans can perform?the nonverbal and rigid nature of furniture gradually disappears. Remarkably, even without a single expression or line of dialogue, we read bustling emotions within them.

Ham Doha_ART WALL Cabinet Red_Mother of Pearl, MDF, Glass_80x60x25cm_2024
Photo by The Trinity Gallery

Chae Myungshin, curator of The Trinity Gallery, explained, "This solo exhibition by Ham Doha will be a time to connect with the true stories of emotional furniture hidden behind lively colors and lovely patterns, and to face the bursting inner emotions of the viewers in a pop! and vibrant way."

Notably, until July 16 during the exhibition period, the show extends beyond the gallery space to the Grand Hyatt Seoul lobby gallery and outdoor patio. During this time, visitors can also enjoy an art-special chocolate menu inspired by the artist's works, created through collaboration between the Grand Hyatt Seoul's F&B team and The Trinity Gallery. The exhibition runs until July 31 at The Trinity Gallery at Grand Hyatt Seoul, Sowol-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul.

CHIAOZZA_Bouquet Painting No. 54_gouache on linen_101.6x71.1cm_2024
Photo by Baek Art Seoul

▲ CHIAOZZA Solo Exhibition ‘Our Garden Needs Its Flowers’ = The Asian debut solo exhibition of American artist duo CHIAOZZA, titled ‘Our Garden Needs Its Flowers,’ is held at Baek Art Seoul.

Composed of Adam Frezza and Terri Chiao, CHIAOZZA is an artist duo exploring play and craft across various fields including painting, sculpture, installation art, collage, photography, and public art. Their diverse use of media, cheerful approach, and organic forms evoke curiosity and joy in the audience.

Based in New York, CHIAOZZA has held solo exhibitions in New York, San Francisco, Philadelphia, and LA. They have also participated in numerous group exhibitions and collaborations across the U.S., and installed works for public art. In 2017, they presented the large-scale sculpture garden ‘Chiaozza Garden’ at the Coachella Music & Art Festival, and have been active with projects such as rug production for IKEA’s ‘Art Initiative’ and window displays for Herm?s Maison Shanghai.

Slipping Sun Sea Plunge_Acrylic on wood_23x17x2__2019
Photo by Baek Art Seoul

This exhibition showcases over 30 works themed on growth, exchange, and transformation, including ‘Bouquet Paintings,’ ‘Paper Pulp Pollen Pots,’ and ‘Shrines to Nothingness.’ The exhibition title ‘Our Garden Needs Its Flowers’ was inspired by the 1985 album by West African Ivorian musicians Jess Sah Bi & Peter One. CHIAOZZA expresses a deep respect and awe for nature and reflects on the exchange between nature and culture.

The duo has continually pondered what positive changes can be made in contemporary society. ‘Our Garden Needs Its Flowers’ serves as a reminder of their belief in creating spaces for beautiful and wondrous inspiration. It also marks a turning point embodying their commitment and hope to sustain these ideas across present and future.

For CHIAOZZA, the ‘Garden’ represents a space of creative and collaborative union between humans and nature, fostering richness and diversity, deeply rooted in reverence for nature. Their consistent visual language, expressed through various media such as painting, pulp sculpture, and collage, is presented in even more diverse ways in this exhibition.

CHIAOZZA_Bouquet Painting No. 57_gouache on linen_40.6x56cm_2024 [Photo by Baek Art Seoul]

The 12-piece ‘Bouquet Painting’ series, featuring flowers, stems, and leaves in organically shaped vases, embodies the birth and demise of life, the joy and uniqueness of existence. These images, inspired by sketches made while spending time in nature, connect with their sculptural works. Each painting is bordered, reflecting the artist’s imagination of growth and filling the space within. Unlike previous works, these use vivid fluorescent colors to express an attractive yet comfortable vitality.

The three ‘Paper Pulp Pollen Pots,’ made from paper pulp, contain beads resembling pollen within large flower-shaped sculptures. The works are crafted from coils of newspaper, with brown paper pulp recycled from kraft paper. The beads piled on the flower sculptures quietly shine like a rainbow, sparking curiosity in viewers. Paper pulp is one of CHIAOZZA’s beloved media; they learn and develop their work through various experiments such as tearing, grinding, soaking paper, using waterproof adhesives, and mixing colors.

Also attracting attention is ‘Slipping Sun Sea Plunge,’ part of the ‘Wooden Wall Works’ series, created by layering painted wooden pieces. Inspired by ‘swimming at the seaside at sunset,’ the painted colors on the wood reflect on the wall, changing appearance depending on the viewer’s position, allowing multiple colors to be appreciated simultaneously. The exhibition runs until July 27 at Baek Art Seoul, Yulgok-ro 3-gil, Jongno-gu, Seoul.

Nabi 05_c-type print_125x160_2015 [Photo by POSCO Art Museum]

▲ Lee Jungrok Solo Exhibition 'Night, Time of Purification and Sublimation' = POSCO Art Museum presents a solo exhibition by Lee Jungrok titled 'Night, Time of Purification and Sublimation.' The exhibition features about 60 works by the artist using the ‘light painting technique’ to artistically elevate the mystery and energy of life hidden in nature through landscape photography.

From early works like 'Private Light' to recent pieces such as 'Life of Tree,' the exhibition offers an immersive experience filled with mystery and fantasy. As an alchemist of light, the artist captures the physical sublimation process?where the visible image of nature changes from solid to gas by absorbing heat from the surroundings?through photography. By projecting light onto this natural phenomenon, the artist reveals the deeper and more profound material properties of nature.

Unlike typical landscape photography that emphasizes the form of natural subjects, Lee Jungrok’s photos reveal the invisible and fundamental world always existing behind visible forms. The solo exhibition comprises works spanning the artist’s 26 years. A boy who cherished his childhood observing living grass, trees, insects, and animals in his own way, feeling awe that still inspires his work today.

LUCA L 8-1c-type print_125x160_2022 [Photo by POSCO Art Museum]

This primal attraction and the recording of that time led to his first light painting work, 'Private Light.' Later, realizing that his feelings of sublimity and awe in nature relate to universal myths and folktales, he extensively studied numerous myths and legends, naturally beginning the 'Mythical Landscape' series, the artist explains.

Visualizing feelings and imaginations from primitive yet poetic landscapes through various staging and installations, the first 'Tree of Life' sprouted. Now, ‘light’ has become the artist’s unique metaphor and formal language. The 'Tree of Life' continues to evolve through works titled 'Nabi,' 'Santigo,' 'Iceland,' and 'LUCA (Last Universal Common Ancestor),' sustaining creative novelty.

All locations featured in the works are places with special connections to the artist. Based on synesthetic communication experienced at specific sites, the works transcend mere visuals and engage the five senses. The mysteries of life and secret energies hidden in nature that the artist felt will naturally guide viewers to that moment and place. The exhibition runs until August 4 at POSCO Art Museum, Teheran-ro, Gangnam-gu, Seoul.