Jihea Yang

I am a painter based in South Korea, and have been working as a professional artist since 2014. I currently work in a small studio in Suwon.

My work begins with close observation of everyday subjects—small objects, people, or landscapes within my immediate surroundings. I am particularly drawn to the relationships between opposing qualities within a single scene: light and shadow, warmth and coolness, stillness and intensity, tenderness and sharpness.

I am interested in how these contrasting elements coexist, defining and heightening one another, while at times subtly blending and connecting. Although these are physical and visual phenomena, I approach them as clues that suggest emotional and abstract aspects of human experience.

The conflicting impressions gathered through observation become the starting point for the next stage of my work. I simplify or omit certain elements, while emphasizing others in order to clarify the underlying message. Through this process of reconstruction, I aim to reveal the contradictions within myself, as well as those inherent in the world around us.

Ultimately, my paintings seek to express both the tension and harmony between these opposing forces. I hope that viewers may encounter and interpre...