Sang A Han

By 27 June 2019 Artists

SANG A HAN

SANG A HAN

Biography

Born in 1987 in Seoul, South Korea, artist Sang A Han lives and works in her hometown.
In her practice, Sang A Han explores the contemporary adaptation of eastern ink painting. Soft sculptures and layered paintings made with Meok (India ink), cotton fabric, and thread are the result of an intimate reinterpretation of tradition through a performative process of creating.
Some of her works refer to traditional Korean paintings, such as the Sansu-hwa, the landscape paintings of the Josen era, and the Gwaneum-do, the Buddhist icon painting which mirrors the religious wishes for blessings.

While these paintings were practiced usually by male artists in the past, Sang A Han presents the creative reinterpretation of the inheritance with sewing, embroidery and textiles – the techniques traditionally considered women’s house works.
Sang A Han’s research is inspired by her everyday experiences and the emotions she encounters throughout her life as an artist, woman and mother. Rather than constructing logical, organized narratives, the artist portrays fragmented memories and contradicting emotions in her own figurative and symbolic visual language, focusing above all on the contradiction of love. She transforms segments of thought and emotion into surrealistic scenes with outstretched and praying hands, and symbols that suggest a mythological or religious context, together with organic shapes and lines.

According to the artist, “line is the essence of traditional Korean painting”. Han uses the brush and needle that respond directly to her body in order to paint her inner landscape. Just as the bodily strength of gripping and moving the brush is reflected in lines drawn with Meok, the lines of thread – which vary with how strongly or quickly they are pulled and tied – reveal the performative process by which the artist creates her pieces.
Galleria Fumagalli will dedicate a solo presentation to Sang A Han in spring 2024.

View curriculum →

Biography

Born in 1987 in Seoul, South Korea, artist Sang A Han lives and works in her hometown.
In her practice, Sang A Han explores the contemporary adaptation of eastern ink painting. Soft sculptures and layered paintings made with Meok (India ink), cotton fabric, and thread are the result of an intimate reinterpretation of tradition through a performative process of creating.
Some of her works refer to traditional Korean paintings, such as the Sansu-hwa, the landscape paintings of the Josen era, and the Gwaneum-do, the Buddhist icon painting which mirrors the religious wishes for blessings.

While these paintings were practiced usually by male artists in the past, Sang A Han presents the creative reinterpretation of the inheritance with sewing, embroidery and textiles – the techniques traditionally considered women’s house works.
Sang A Han’s research is inspired by her everyday experiences and the emotions she encounters throughout her life as an artist, woman and mother. Rather than constructing logical, organized narratives, the artist portrays fragmented memories and contradicting emotions in her own figurative and symbolic visual language, focusing above all on the contradiction of love. She transforms segments of thought and emotion into surrealistic scenes with outstretched and praying hands, and symbols that suggest a mythological or religious context, together with organic shapes and lines.

According to the artist, “line is the essence of traditional Korean painting”. Han uses the brush and needle that respond directly to her body in order to paint her inner landscape. Just as the bodily strength of gripping and moving the brush is reflected in lines drawn with Meok, the lines of thread – which vary with how strongly or quickly they are pulled and tied – reveal the performative process by which the artist creates her pieces.
Galleria Fumagalli will dedicate a solo presentation to Sang A Han in spring 2024.

View curriculum →

Works

Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 11, 2022_fronte
Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 11, 2022
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 240x83x17 cm
Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 16, 2024
Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 16, 2024
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 350x82x20 cm
Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 19, 2024
Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 19, 2024
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 350x90x35 cm
Sang A Han, Black figure 3, 2024_fronte
Sang A Han, Black figure 3, 2024
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 320x125x37 cm
Sang A Han, Black summer 2, 2024
Sang A Han, Black summer 2, 2024
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 240x210x15 cm
Sang A Han, Black figure 4, 2024
Sang A Han, Black figure 4, 2024
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 270x140x20 cm
Sang A Han, Fragment 2, 2024
Sang A Han, Fragment 2, 2024
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 177x140x10 cm
Sang A Han, Twins 1, 2024_fronte
Sang A Han, Twins 1, 2024
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 165x95x35 cm
Sang A Han, Fragment 5, 2024
Sang A Han, Fragment 5, 2024
Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 140x207x25 cm

Works

Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 11, 2022. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 240x83x17 cm

Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 11, 2022. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 240x83x17 cm

Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 16, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 350x82x20 cm

Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 16, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 350x82x20 cm

Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 19, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 350x90x35 cm

Sang A Han, Void Pagoda 19, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 350x90x35 cm

Sang A Han, Black figure 3, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 320x125x37 cm

Sang A Han, Black figure 3, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 320x125x37 cm

Sang A Han, Black summer 2, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 240x210x15 cm

Sang A Han, Black summer 2, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 240x210x15 cm

Sang A Han, Black figure 4, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 270x140x20 cm

Sang A Han, Black figure 4, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 270x140x20 cm

Sang A Han, Fragment 2, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 177x140x10 cm

Sang A Han, Fragment 2, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 177x140x10 cm

Sang A Han, Twins 1, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 165x95x35 cm

Sang A Han, Twins 1, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 165x95x35 cm

Sang A Han, Fragment 5, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 140x207x25 cm

Sang A Han, Fragment 5, 2024. Meok on cotton fabric, thread, cotton stuffing, 140x207x25 cm

Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

SANG A HAN
Black Flame

23 May to 13 September, 2024

Exhibition  →

Exhibitions

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

SANG A HAN
Black Flame

23 May to 13 September, 2024

Exhibition  →

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