This abstract artwork features a vibrant, monochromatic composition of deep red hues. The canvas is filled with a dense grid-like pattern, created through the intricate application of countless small brushstrokes or marks. The overall effect is a visually captivating and textural surface that evokes a sense of energy and rhythm. The artist's distinctive style and meticulous technique suggest this piece may be part of a series exploring the expressive potential of color and mark-making within a minimalist framework. The work reflects the artist's dedication to the sensory experience of abstract painting and their exploration of the relationship between form, color, and the viewer's perception. ...
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. ...
