Mi-suk Kim, Mureungdowon, ottchil and mother-of-pearl on wood, 90×122.3cm, 2023
Gi-won Yoon, Lay, acrylic on canvas, 97x162cm, 2024
OMAE Gallery presents Layers of the Self, a two-person exhibition by Mi-suk Kim and Gi-won Yoon that reimagines the possibilities of contemporary portraiture.
Mi-suk Kim incorporates mother-of-pearl and lacquer into painting, transforming female figures into luminous images that embody dignity and resilience. Gi-won Yoon explores the resonance of color, expressing psychological depth through layered hues and fluid brushwork.
Together, their works expand the tradition of portraiture beyond physical likeness, offering fresh interpretations of the human spirit through light and color.
- Special Event on Samcheong Night
As part of this exhibition, OMAE Gallery will host a special Opening Reception on Thursday, September 4, 2025, from 7:00 to 10:00, in celebration of Samcheong Night during Frieze Week. The main program will take place from 8:00 to 9:00, featuring a meeting with the artists, wine and refreshments, music, and special events. Guests are also welcome to enjoy the gallery during the free session hours before and after the program.
Mi-suk Kim (b. 1983)
Misuk Kim is an artist who reinterprets Korea’s traditional materials—mother-of-pearl and lacquer—into contemporary portraiture. Her paintings portray captivating images of women, infused with elegance and resilience. With refined craftsmanship and a sophisticated sense of color, she creates unique surfaces where light and material harmonize. The subtle iridescence of mother-of-pearl and the depth of lacquer lend lyrical qualities to expressions and moods, forming an aesthetic that intersects tradition and modernity, decoration and painting. Through this practice, Kim expands the language of Korean beauty for the present day, offering viewers a visual experience that is at once powerful and graceful.
Gi-won Yoon (b. 1974)
Since graduating from Hongik University’s Department of Painting in 2003, Giwon Yoon has dedicated more than two decades to portraiture. His ongoing practice has unfolded through series such as Friends, Portraits of Artists, and FACE, which explore human relationships, psychology, expression, and aura. Using layers of color and fluid brushwork, Yoon reveals the emotions that lie beneath outward appearance, extending the traditional Korean concept of jeonsin—capturing the spirit—into a contemporary context. Yoon’s portraits synthesize figure, background, and the resonance of color into organic compositions, exploring the sensory and emotional possibilities of painting today.