The artwork features a grid-like composition of rectangular panels in shades of brown, black, and occasional pops of color. The overall impression is one of structure and ordered compartmentalization, creating a sense of depth and layering. The textured and distressed surfaces suggest an industrial or architectural aesthetic, hinting at the artist's exploration of space, form, and materiality. While the subject matter is abstract, the work invites the viewer to ponder the interplay of light, shadow, and the built environment, reflecting the artist's intention to engage with the complexities of the modern landscape. ...
HaeAhn Paul Kwon Kajander is the collaborative artistic practice of HaeAhn Kwon and Paul Kajander. Through the merging of their given and family names, they aim to challenge conventional identification categories, such as gender, ethnicity, and individualism, which are often reinforced through proprietary terms. Their artistic work is characterized by a responsive approach to installation and assemblage, where research and conceptual exploration find expression through material improvisation. For instance, in their solo exhibition "maximum suffering along the way" (2019), driven by their ongoing research into the violent history of modernization in South Korea, they conducted experiments with traditional lacquer techniques known as ottchil. These techniques serve as a material and conceptual foundation for their new body of work, which delves into the burdensome history of urbanization. To embrace more environmentally sustainable materials, they have created a series of relief works utilizing the dry-lacquer technique. This technique involves layering glutinous rice powder, ottchil, linen, ash, and clay powder. The combination of unstable organic matter with lacquer offers several benefits, and possesses natural repellent properties against insects, enhancing the durability of the artwork.
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Franz Kaka was founded in 2016 as an artist-led gallery, presenting exhibitions that privileged experimentation and risk-taking. In 2019, the gallery began formally representing a number of the artists who had previously exhibited, including Lotus L. Kang, HaeAhn Paul Kwon Kajander, Anne Low, and Elif Saydam. In the years since, the gallery has expanded its international reach through gallery collaborations and art fair participations, including presentations at Art Basel, Frieze London, and the Armory Show. Known for presenting materially curious and conceptually complex exhibitions, the gallery champions nuanced practices that transform and deepen through sustained engagement, fostering dynamic conversations with audiences in Toronto and abroad. ...
