JoY 26 004-006

The lakes, mountains and rivers of Jongsuk Yoon’s native South Korea are depicted in her semi-abstract compositions, where broad brush strokes of bright colour express her memories and emotional connections to her homeland. Yoon has been based in Düsseldorf, Germany since 1995 and her work embodies the influence of two worlds – combining a European painting tradition with an Asian aesthetic sensibility in a critical and reciprocal discourse. Yoon explains that her compositions create a dialogue and exchange between the oriental tradition of flatness, with the simplicity of figures, and the European tradition of depicting reality and expressing emotions. Yoon’s natural affinity with the painted mark can be seen in her monotypes. She made these unique prints by painting directly onto metal plates, and the images were then transferred onto paper by running through a press. Yoon’s confident brushwork and playful use of colour is apparent in these joyful landscape images.