Launch Gallery presents Gil (path), by artist Kyong Boon Oh. Ms. Oh is the inaugural recipient of our SOLO Exhibition Open Call selected from over 70 entries from local artists by the LAUNCH Advisory Board and Founder and Executive Director James Panozzo.
‘GIL’ translates to ‘path’ in Oh’s native Korean. ‘GIL’ (global interpreter lock) is a mechanism used by computer-language interpreters to synchronize the execution of threads. This mechanism is similar Oh’s art practice. As an interpreter uses GIL, they allow one thread to execute at a time on a multi-core processor. Similarly, Oh executes one section of weaving or carving at a time, even though there has to be multiple threads of wire or multiple cuts in the sculpture in several directions at a time in each piece. Chaos and order coexist in her practice.
With a methodical and repetitive approach, Oh constructs life-size figurative pieces, as well as smaller abstract sculptures as a way of exploring the physical self, the emotional self, and the tension between the two. Oh views a single thread of wire or a single linear form of stone as her stream of consciousness or a physical pathway for her mind. The labor-intensive process of weaving and carving forces Oh to work slowly, allowing her to enter into a meditative state. Discovering and revealing a literal path through the stone and wire, Oh investigates the negative space left behind. Oh views the empty spaces and small, breathable gaps as “a place of reconciliation”
Oh originally began her artistic career as a painter, making 8-foot tall figurative paintings. However, her transition into sculpture came from a desire to have more physical interaction with her work. Korean-born Kyong Boon Oh received her B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2002 and her B.S. in Mathematics from Korea University in Seoul in 1996. She is a founding member of the Stone Sculptors Guild of Orange County (SSGOC).
LAUNCH LA believes exposure to the arts enhances quality of life and strengthens community for all through the shared appreciation of creative expression in all its forms and hybrids. LAUNCH LA is passionate about providing all artists regardless of background, race, color, creed or sexual orientation with quality opportunities to present themselves and their creations that reflect our times to curious and enthusiastic audiences at our Gallery and at important happenings throughout Los Angeles.
Media Contact:
James Panozzo
james@launchla.org
323.899.1363
