Seosy, The Labyrinth of Orign 181, mixed media with handmade Korean paper, 112x112cm, 2026

OMAE Gallery is honored to present Alchemy Of Light, a solo exhibition by artist  Soo-young Seo (SEOSY), running from September 1 through September 19, 2026. In an era dominated by weightless, transient digital imagery, SEOSY’s gold leaf abstractions summon back the essential powers of painting: the tactile sensation of matter, the meditative time of the hand, and the physical depth of the surface. Presenting her latest body of abstract work, the artist synthesizes traditional Korean materials—such as hanji (mulberry paper), stone powder, lacquer, and delicate gold leaf—into a dynamic relief-like structure where light and matter continuously converge.

Rather than treating gold as a symbol of status or mere ornamentation, SEOSY releases it as a living medium of light. Her surfaces, built through a rigorous process of layering, folding, pressing, and intentional fissuring, exist at the boundary between painting and sculpture. The resulting textures form a subtle relief that continuously transforms with the viewer’s physical movement and the shifting surrounding illumination. As light refracts through the delicate cracks and strata of the canvas, the artwork comes alive, offering a sensory and spatial encounter that engages both vision and touch.

In her critical essay, art critic Jeong-ju Choi analyzes SEOSY’s gold leaf abstraction by identifying four key aesthetic elements embedded within her work: The Surface of Origin, The Circular Cosmos, The Order of Fissures, and The Abyss of Light. Through these core dimensions, SEOSY masterfully bridges Eastern concepts of empty space and Western traditions of transcendent light, transforming noble gold into an interior, spiritual resonance. Alchemy Of Light invites viewers into a sanctuary of slow contemplation, urging us to move beyond passive observation and experience the profound depth emitted by the painting itself.