Right: Artist Soo Hong in 2023. Courtesy
It’s not quite spring yet, but Soo Hong’s abstract pastel and deep-hued paintings offer hope that the new season will soon blossom. Now on display at NYB Gallery in Kirkland, over a dozen of Hong’s pieces embody dynamic movement in two dimensions.
In her work, Hong is clearly drawn to lines and dots. “I love drawing, sometimes even more than painting,” Hong admitted. “Painting is often thought of as filling an area with colors, but ink wash painting feels closer to drawing in spirit.”
As an artist, she felt pulled toward practicing ink wash techniques. “I realized that lines can hold more intimate connections and translate directly into the artwork,” she said. “With ink wash painting, there are no corrections, it’s a one-shot process where each mark becomes a trace.”
This practice inspired Hong to create a new series focusing on monochromes and desaturated colors. “Dots represent positions reflecting randomness and chance, marking moments in my life,” she said. “Lines, on the other hand, are traces and paths that connect these marks, illustrating the journey between them. I chose to use fluid lines to symbolize constant change and the subtle movements of life, reminiscent of watching waves.”
Within the series, Hong ultimately developed two styles of paintings. “One is eye-catching, while the other requires time and patience to truly appreciate,” she described. “I prefer the latter, the kind that doesn’t immediately speak to you but instead whispers. That’s the type of painting I feel I can give the most care and attention to.”
The journey to her current exhibition at NYB Gallery began about three years ago, when Hong met gallery owner Nayoung Buchan. “We connected as Koreans with shared experiences of nomadic lives,” Hong said. “We understood each other, and I admired her passion.”
Hong began to visit NYB Gallery and converse with Buchan, crediting her with insights about the art world. “This show came to fruition through our collaborations and conversations,” Hong said. “I feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to showcase my work there before NYB Gallery relocates to Miami.”
The show opened on January 18, on a typical cold Seattle winter day. “But the sun created the perfect atmosphere for people to enter with a smile,” Hong said. “Visitors were curious about the medium and the ideas behind the work.”
The event combined creativity with community. “I had the opportunity to share conversations and reconnect with friends I hadn’t seen in quite a while,” Hong said. “I felt warmth and gratitude, thankful to have such good friends and wonderful people around me.”
This sense of rootedness contrasts with Hong’s journey, which she describes as nomadic, as she has studied in London, Baltimore, and Korea. “There’s a certain wonder in arriving at new places, and perhaps relocation has become a natural part of my life,” she said. “I feel more comfortable moving than staying rooted in one location.”
And these moves have influenced her work, as Hong only pursued painting seriously after completing her MA in Communication Design at Central Saint Martin’s College of Art & Design in London. “I’ve noticed both commonalities and unique traits shaped by the environment,” she said. “Weather, for instance, influences food, lifestyle, and, eventually, thoughts and behaviors. Over time, I’ve changed, and so have my mediums.”
Currently, Hong finds that Zygmunt Bauman’s concept of Liquid Modernity, which highlights instability and flux rather than durability, resonates with her. “In one sense, I could call myself a dreamer, in a good way,” she said. “But in another sense, I’ve often felt like an alien or outsider.”
This has been true since her childhood. “In kindergarten, I was the only Asian child, unable to speak the same language as the others,” Hong recalled. “Even in Korea, I didn’t quite fit in despite my appearance. These experiences left me feeling like I was floating through life, like a nomad.”
Through the concept of Liquid Modernity, Hong feels more connected to a community of people with similar experiences. “In the past, they might have been called adventurers or explorers, but now lifestyles have shifted, and this sense of fluidity is becoming more common,” she said. “For me, painting serves as both a way to ground myself in reality and a space for dreaming and reflection.”
Continuing to combine the instability of life with her pursuit of solidity, Hong returned to Korea two years ago to study traditional color painting similar to Nihonga. “I was drawn to the vibrancy achieved with thin layers and the meticulous traditional processes,” she said. “I hoped this exploration would help me feel more grounded.”
And it did connect her more to both space and time. “It brought me a sense of calm and deepened my appreciation for the time-intensive nature of painting,” she said. “I realized I wanted to create work that feels timeless yet holds the essence of time within it.”
Despite all this study and generativity, it took a long time for Hong to truly identify as an artist. “I’m just beginning to allow myself to intertwine art with life,” she said. “I suppose making a living as an artist isn’t easy, but living life as an artist makes you feel truly alive.”
And for that, she is grateful for the support of others. “The challenge lies in finding balance, between dreams and the practicalities of real life,” she said. “Fortunately, I have a family that makes everything feel less daunting than it would if I were on my own.”
Next, Hong is augmenting her work on canvas by experimenting with collage, photography, and printmaking, among other media. “Recently, I’ve been reconnecting with my past love of filmmaking and exploring sound creation, or what some might call music,” she said. “These other mediums bring me a sense of freedom that extends into my painting.”
Soo Hong’s exhibition runs through February 15 at NYB Gallery, 1260 Carillon Point, Kirkland.
