This vibrant abstract painting features a lush, monochromatic green canvas filled with a dynamic interplay of brushstrokes. The composition is dominated by a rich emerald hue, with flecks of yellow and hints of blue and pink adding depth and texture to the surface. The overall effect is a visually captivating and energetic work that encourages the viewer to engage with the intricate layers of color and gestural mark-making. While the subject matter is non-representational, the artwork conveys a sense of movement and energy, reflecting the artist's expressive style and intention to evoke an emotive response from the viewer. ...
Young-Il Ahn (b. 1934, Gaeseong, Korea; d. 2020, Los Angeles, CA) received a BFA from Seoul National University in 1958; in 1966 he resettled in Los Angeles, which remained his home for the following five decades until his death in 2020. In his lifetime, Ahn developed a distinct oeuvre defined by meticulously crafted, abstract monochromes that delve into personal relationships with beauty, nature, music, and grief. Ahn’s enamorment with California’s brilliant light, and the deep, glittering Pacific Ocean resulted in his Water series for which he is best known and first associated him with Korea’s Dansaekhwa movement. Working adjacent to Dansaekhwa, Ahn similarly bridged the space between meditative restraint and gestural freedom. In his Memorial series, Ahn gave form to the shock and inner turmoil experienced in the wake of the national tragedy of 9/11. By incorporating disintegrated forms and thick, black paint spatter to a diagonally gridded image plane, the resulting works are a remarkably intimate expression of mourning—an elegiac homage to the artist’s adopted homeland. ...
