<<Blooming Layer>>
The Place Called ‘I’
We often find ourselves alone. Yet solitude is not merely the absence of others we were once with. It is not simply physical isolation, but rather a moment when the gaze that once looked outward reverses, turning inward to the space within. In that precise moment, we truly encounter ourselves. In the landscape of solitude, we feel our own presence as sharp fragments, incomplete, like glass shards that continually scatter and scratch against us. In this space of solitude, artists Ju Yujin and Oh Haeun capture the solitary figure, portraying that fleeting moment on canvas. Their paintings become an imaginary world that embraces the solitary self and a realm where the sensation of being alive grows more vivid.
In Ju Yujin’s paintings, the state of being ‘alone’ takes on the warmth of a landscape. He often depicts a single figure in his works, surrounded by a broader scene. Here, solitude becomes both a place of self-discovery and a space of gentle protection that envelops loved ones. His world fades into a distant glow at the edge of light and horizon, quietly asking, “When alone, where are we?” An intangible warmth fills this space, as if coming from an unknown source, gently wrapping itself around the one who lingers in solitude, inviting them to rest, even if just for a moment.
Oh Haeun leads us to a different threshold. Her work exists at the intersection of fading sound and silence, the place where echoes drift away. At that moment when something seems to be vanishing, her work seems to ask, “When sensation fades, what must we hold onto?” Before that feeling slips away, Oh Haeun reconstructs physical elements to create a point of rest within the emptiness. Enlarged forms offer the only tangible sensation we can hold onto, a comforting anchor for those who confront their own solitude, reminding them of their own presence and offering solace.
“I am my own refuge. (Eu sou meu próprio refúgio.)”
Fernando Pessoa likened solitude to a place of refuge. Likewise, both artists retreat into their own inner solitude, seeking a form of comfort. In Ju Yujin’s work, solitude becomes an invitation into a warm, protective realm, a quiet place for self-reflection. In Oh Haeun’s work, at the edge of fading sensation, there is an exploration of feeling that sustains, even as the trace of existence blurs. Together, they capture moments that blossom anew within solitude, transforming emptiness into a space for fresh possibility.
1. Camouflage, 2024, Oh Haeun
2. Metamorphosis, 2024, Oh Haeun
3. Camouflage, 2024, Oh Haeun
4. 입춘, 2024, Oh Haeun
5. 입동, 2024, Oh Haeun
6. 입하, 2024, Oh Haeun
7. La plus que lente, 2022, Ju Yujin
8. The Day You Think the World Has Ended, 2023, Ju Yujin
9. The Chatter has Ceased, 2022, Ju Yujin
10. My Soul Too Sings the Songs of the Beloved, 2023, Ju Yujin
11. Breathing in the distant, warm fog, 2022, Ju Yujin
12. je vous fais chaque soir un solennel adieu, 2022, Ju Yujin
13. Camouflage, 2023
14. Camouflage, 2023, Oh Haeun
15. Camouflage, 2023, Oh Haeun
16. Camouflage, 2024, Oh Haeun
17. Camouflage, 2024, Oh Haeun
18. Camouflage, 2023, Oh Haeun
19. 갈라테이아, 2024, Oh Haeun
20. I am the Light, 2022, Ju Yujin
21. I Crave the Pale and Pure Indifference of the Insensitive Moon, 2023, Ju Yujin
22. We are dreaming the same moon, 2023, Ju Yujin
23. 그때부터는 단지 햇살이, 향기가, 색깔만이 가치 있다고 생각되었다. 2023, Ju Yujin
24. Summer has ended, and they knew it was the most beautiful summer of their lives, 2023, Ju Yujin
25. 이것이 우리였고,이것이 우리가 시도한 사랑이며, 2023, Ju Yujin
26. 사랑은 우연으로 만들어진 신뢰다. 2023, Ju Yujin
27. Moment-이케바나, 2024, Oh Haeun
28. 계단을내려오는, 2024, Oh Haeun
29. Camouflage, 2023, Oh Haeun
30. Only Now Do the Songs of the Beloved Awaken from their Slumber, 2023, Ju Yujin
31. My Soul Too Sings the Songs of the Beloved, 2023, Ju Yujin