34th St., 2017-2024, Acrylic on canvas, 200 x 536cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ.
In a reflection on humanity, identity, and urban life, Korean artist Suh Yong Sun returns with his fifth solo exhibition at Gallery JJ. Titled Morgan Avenue 300, this exhibition delves into Suh’s long-standing fascination with New York City, exploring the intersection of city life and artistic expression. Since his first visit in 1992, Suh has visited New York roughly 25 times, immersing himself for months at a time to capture the city through his unique lens. New York has grown to be an integral part of Suh’s work, serving as a canvas for his studies of anonymity, isolation, and the pulse of contemporary urban life.
The title, Morgan Avenue 300, represents Suh’s most recent studio address in Brooklyn. The exhibit centers on his 2024 urban-themed works, with a retrospective touch from his earlier pieces to trace the evolution of his New York-inspired oeuvre. The collection includes monumental works such as 34th St. (2017-2024), paper sketches, and daily journals, all capturing the city’s essence and intensity. Through scenes of bustling streets, cafes, and subway stations, Suh reflects the alienation and unease of urban inhabitants, highlighting a sense of isolation that paradoxically intensifies within crowds. His subway series, notably featuring Metropolitan + Bushwick (2024), offers glimpses into the daily rhythm of a vast and vibrant city, making the ordinary appear foreign and unsettling.
N3, 2022, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 53 x 73cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ
While New York resonates with Koreans as an emblem of consumer-driven capitalism, it also serves as a mirror to South Korea’s urbanization and globalization journey. Through Suh’s acute observations, viewers are invited to explore their roles within modern society, the divide between ideals and reality, and the nature of existence in an increasingly interconnected world. His art offers an introspective lens, urging viewers to engage with the space they occupy.
An excerpt from Suh’s 2024 New York journal adds vivid context: “The engine sounds of large trucks echo through the early morning air, their speed cutting across the Brooklyn warehouse dust, which permeates the studio.” Suh’s prolonged stays in international cities like Berlin, Melbourne, and Beijing, in addition to his studio in Gyeonggi Province, reflect his commitment to experiencing the world’s diversity first-hand. His nomadic practice underscores his dedication to exploring humanity across borders, revealing the universality of urban life.
N2, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 53 x 73cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ
Known for his expressive strokes and dynamic compositions, Suh’s work centers on human interaction within structured environments, encompassing themes of city life, history, myth, and landscape. His recurring subjects include Seoul’s rapid urbanization in the 1980s and the historic struggles of forgotten individuals. Through portraits, landscapes, and mythological themes, Suh captures both the personal and collective aspects of human experience, offering a distinctive view on the modern individual’s psyche.
In the bustling environments of New York, Suh’s work captures the monotony of daily life in places like Starbucks, streets, and subway stations. His recent piece, Macy’s (2022, 2024), illustrates a celebratory event outside the iconic department store, juxtaposing the joy of festivity with the underlying influence of consumer culture. His New York paintings reveal an urban tapestry of familiar logos, subway signs, and towering skyscrapers, creating a visual language that mirrors the city’s consumer-driven core. Through this imagery, Suh prompts viewers to consider the societal forces shaping their urban existence.
Public Space in Rockefeller Center, 2019-2024, Acrylic on canvas, 225 x 201cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ
As Suh sketches New York’s urban landscape, his attention frequently turns to the subway. For him, subways represent the anonymity and fragmentation of modern society. Since his first subway painting in 1995, Suh has documented different lines and stations, capturing the subway’s unique tension and confined interactions. The subway series highlights the surreal qualities of this underground world—steel structures, echoes of machinery, and the rigid rhythm of city life. Suh’s fascination with New York’s infrastructure contrasts sharply with his Seoul experience, adding a raw layer to his perception of the city’s heart.
Throughout his work, Suh reflects on the nature of contemporary life, depicting urban inhabitants in a state of flux. The visual tension within his canvases, marked by strong lines, distorted shapes, and bold colors, resonates with his search for meaning in a world overwhelmed by rapid change and technological advancement. Suh’s work on cities speaks to the essence of human interaction within these spaces, delving into societal expectations, everyday routines, and the forces shaping individual lives.
In his exploration of metropolitan spaces, Suh reveals his empathy for the human condition, capturing moments of alienation in diverse cultures and challenging viewers to see beyond surface appearances. His journey through New York, shaped by his reflections on identity, humanity, and urban isolation, serves as a profound commentary on life in the modern era.
Korea Town, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 116.5 x 72cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ
Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com
34th St., 2017-2024, Acrylic on canvas, 200 x 536cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ.
In a reflection on humanity, identity, and urban life, Korean artist Suh Yong Sun returns with his fifth solo exhibition at Gallery JJ. Titled Morgan Avenue 300, this exhibition delves into Suh’s long-standing fascination with New York City, exploring the intersection of city life and artistic expression. Since his first visit in 1992, Suh has visited New York roughly 25 times, immersing himself for months at a time to capture the city through his unique lens. New York has grown to be an integral part of Suh’s work, serving as a canvas for his studies of anonymity, isolation, and the pulse of contemporary urban life.
The title, Morgan Avenue 300, represents Suh’s most recent studio address in Brooklyn. The exhibit centers on his 2024 urban-themed works, with a retrospective touch from his earlier pieces to trace the evolution of his New York-inspired oeuvre. The collection includes monumental works such as 34th St. (2017-2024), paper sketches, and daily journals, all capturing the city’s essence and intensity. Through scenes of bustling streets, cafes, and subway stations, Suh reflects the alienation and unease of urban inhabitants, highlighting a sense of isolation that paradoxically intensifies within crowds. His subway series, notably featuring Metropolitan + Bushwick (2024), offers glimpses into the daily rhythm of a vast and vibrant city, making the ordinary appear foreign and unsettling.
N3, 2022, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 53 x 73cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ
While New York resonates with Koreans as an emblem of consumer-driven capitalism, it also serves as a mirror to South Korea’s urbanization and globalization journey. Through Suh’s acute observations, viewers are invited to explore their roles within modern society, the divide between ideals and reality, and the nature of existence in an increasingly interconnected world. His art offers an introspective lens, urging viewers to engage with the space they occupy.
An excerpt from Suh’s 2024 New York journal adds vivid context: “The engine sounds of large trucks echo through the early morning air, their speed cutting across the Brooklyn warehouse dust, which permeates the studio.” Suh’s prolonged stays in international cities like Berlin, Melbourne, and Beijing, in addition to his studio in Gyeonggi Province, reflect his commitment to experiencing the world’s diversity first-hand. His nomadic practice underscores his dedication to exploring humanity across borders, revealing the universality of urban life.
N2, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 53 x 73cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ
Known for his expressive strokes and dynamic compositions, Suh’s work centers on human interaction within structured environments, encompassing themes of city life, history, myth, and landscape. His recurring subjects include Seoul’s rapid urbanization in the 1980s and the historic struggles of forgotten individuals. Through portraits, landscapes, and mythological themes, Suh captures both the personal and collective aspects of human experience, offering a distinctive view on the modern individual’s psyche.
In the bustling environments of New York, Suh’s work captures the monotony of daily life in places like Starbucks, streets, and subway stations. His recent piece, Macy’s (2022, 2024), illustrates a celebratory event outside the iconic department store, juxtaposing the joy of festivity with the underlying influence of consumer culture. His New York paintings reveal an urban tapestry of familiar logos, subway signs, and towering skyscrapers, creating a visual language that mirrors the city’s consumer-driven core. Through this imagery, Suh prompts viewers to consider the societal forces shaping their urban existence.
Public Space in Rockefeller Center, 2019-2024, Acrylic on canvas, 225 x 201cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ
As Suh sketches New York’s urban landscape, his attention frequently turns to the subway. For him, subways represent the anonymity and fragmentation of modern society. Since his first subway painting in 1995, Suh has documented different lines and stations, capturing the subway’s unique tension and confined interactions. The subway series highlights the surreal qualities of this underground world—steel structures, echoes of machinery, and the rigid rhythm of city life. Suh’s fascination with New York’s infrastructure contrasts sharply with his Seoul experience, adding a raw layer to his perception of the city’s heart.
Throughout his work, Suh reflects on the nature of contemporary life, depicting urban inhabitants in a state of flux. The visual tension within his canvases, marked by strong lines, distorted shapes, and bold colors, resonates with his search for meaning in a world overwhelmed by rapid change and technological advancement. Suh’s work on cities speaks to the essence of human interaction within these spaces, delving into societal expectations, everyday routines, and the forces shaping individual lives.
In his exploration of metropolitan spaces, Suh reveals his empathy for the human condition, capturing moments of alienation in diverse cultures and challenging viewers to see beyond surface appearances. His journey through New York, shaped by his reflections on identity, humanity, and urban isolation, serves as a profound commentary on life in the modern era.
Korea Town, 2024, Acrylic on canvas, 116.5 x 72cm, Courtesy of Gallery JJ
