Hashimoto Contemporary is pleased to present Murmurations, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Seonna Hong. The presentation will be Hong’s fifth solo exhibition at Hashimoto Contemporary.
In her latest body of work, the artist revisits larger figurative themes, relational dynamics and human connection. Looking to these themes as a way of understanding how people are emerging from the pandemic, Hong seeks to reconnect with the world around her.
In the artist’s earlier works, the figures in her paintings became increasingly smaller throughout her practice, inhabiting dream-like landscapes, holding space as witnesses to abstract ideas and emotions. For Murmurations, the figures have become larger, and are found engaging with one another and their environment, becoming the drivers of their own story.
Fields of color, rough brushstrokes and sketchy oil pastel surround and encompass the figures, creating semi-abstracted landscapes which they walk through and explore. At times the fields of color are literal fields, roads or freeways, representing a place for humanity even when the figures are not present.
Finding inspiration in murmurations (defined both as the way in which birds flock together, as well as the utterance of low continuous sounds) and its two distinct meanings, the artist is searching to find ways to connect and communicate. Through this journey, Hong came to understand that human connection is needed not only for contentment, but also for mental and physical well-being. The paintings in Murmurations reflect Hong’s attempt to connect with forgotten landscapes, encouraging us to rediscover the world around us.
