Kwon Ji-an (Solbi) Unveils 'Humming Road' Solo Exhibition in Seoul

Singer and artist Kwon Ji-an, also known as Solbi, is set to host her solo exhibition 'Humming Road' in Seoul.

From March 4 to April 4, Kwon Ji-an will present her solo exhibition 'Humming Road' at Gallery We in Cheongdam, Gangnam, Seoul. This marks her first solo exhibition in a year since 'FLOWERS FROM HEAVEN' in March last year. The exhibition will take place on both the first and second floors of the gallery, showcasing approximately 30 paintings.

The exhibition centers around Kwon Ji-an's unique language of 'Humming,' which she has continuously explored. Inspired by her visit to Arles, France, where she encountered the Rhône River, the backdrop of Vincent van Gogh's 'Starry Night,' cypress trees emerge as a key motif in her work.

Cypress trees are interpreted as symbolic entities connecting the sky and the earth, forming an important structural axis alongside the concept of 'road' in this exhibition. Kwon explains that the roads depicted in her paintings represent the accumulation of life's time rather than a path to a specific destination. The recurring imagery of cypress trees, flowers, and swaying nature on the canvas creates layers of emotion and memory.

Kwon Ji-an employs a unique technique called finger painting, using her fingers instead of brushes. Through the physical act of applying and spreading paint, she builds a dense materiality and layers of color, capturing the density of emotions and traces of time on the canvas. Her recent works further enhance this materiality and artistic completeness.

Gallery We Cheongdam stated, "Kwon Ji-an's paintings go beyond merely reproducing landscapes; they reveal the moments when landscapes are experienced. We hope that through the concept of humming, viewers can focus on their inner voices."

Kwon Ji-an has been gaining recognition as an artist both domestically and internationally. Last year, she received an enthusiastic response for her work in Porto, Portugal. She was also invited to 'La Nuit Blanche Paris' in France in 2018, won the Grand Artist Award at the Barcelona International Art Awards in Spain in 2021, and was named 'Artist of the Month' by Italy's ITS Liquid Group in the same year. In 2022, she continued her artistic journey with an exhibition in New York, USA.

Kwon Ji-an's solo exhibition 'Humming Road,' which explores the process of life and inner senses through the concepts of humming and roads, will be held at Gallery We Cheongdam from March 4 to April 4.

Reporter: Kim Ji-won, TenAsia one@tenasia.co.kr