Kyounghee Noh's latest exhibition, A Walk Along the Forest Path, held at Gallery Doll from October 18 to November 10, 2024, offers an intriguing exploration of the intersections between nature, memory, and time. Noh’s landscapes present a delicate balance between warmth and coldness, creating a sense of familiarity while simultaneously evoking feelings of mystery. Through her meticulous layering of paint and attention to detail, she constructs spaces that are both real and surreal—places where nature seems to breathe and evolve.

The title of the exhibition suggests a contemplative journey, and indeed, walking through Noh's paintings feels akin to wandering through a forest. Her works are not mere representations of nature but rather a reflection of the artist’s personal experiences and emotions. Each piece captures the delicate beauty of plants and trees, meticulously painted by hand over an extended period, yet without the use of an underlying sketch. This method allows Noh to convey the spontaneity and unpredictability of nature, while also reflecting the quiet persistence of life.

One of the key elements of Noh’s work is her exploration of the concept of presence and absence. Her paintings often feature thin layers of paint, creating a surface that feels both dense and fragile. The plants in her works seem to emerge and disappear, much like fleeting memories or emotions. As viewers move closer to the paintings, they notice the intricate details of the leaves and branches, but from a distance, the forms blend into an abstract, dreamlike landscape. This duality is central to Noh's exploration of the cycles of life—birth, growth, and eventual disappearance.

Her painting process is equally reflective of these cycles. Noh compares and adjusts her idealized images with photographs, yet the focus of her work goes beyond mere representation. It is the process itself—the labor of building layer upon layer of paint—that becomes the heart of her art. As a result, her landscapes not only capture the essence of nature but also serve as a metaphor for time, memory, and the ever-changing nature of life.

Noh’s connection to nature stems from her childhood experiences of walking through forests and mountains. These early experiences shaped her artistic vision, and the forest became a personal refuge—an “aegis” of sorts—where she could escape the constraints of modern life. In her work, the forest is not just a physical space but a place of reflection and solitude, where thoughts and emotions quietly coexist. Her careful observation of light and shadow, as well as the subtle shifts in color, evoke a sense of peace, while the tangled branches and hidden paths suggest that life’s journey is often unpredictable and complex.

Another notable aspect of Noh’s work is her ability to blur the boundaries between the personal and the universal. While her paintings are rooted in her own experiences, they also resonate with broader societal themes. The forest, in Noh’s hands, becomes a metaphor for the human condition, where relationships, emotions, and memories are continuously formed and reformed. This exploration of the unseen currents of life is reflected in her use of color and composition, where the smallest details hold significant meaning.

Through her sincere and thoughtful approach to painting, Noh invites viewers to engage with the deeper truths of existence. Her works ask us to contemplate the fleeting nature of life, while also offering a space for reflection and introspection. As one walks along the forest path, both in reality and metaphorically through Noh's work, the question arises: What lies ahead? Her paintings suggest that while life is filled with uncertainties, there is beauty to be found in the journey itself.

In this exhibition, Noh demonstrates that her art is not simply about capturing the beauty of nature but about exploring the complex layers of human experience. Her work embodies a quiet yet powerful commentary on the passage of time and the cyclical nature of life, offering viewers a chance to reflect on their paths and the hidden beauty that surrounds them.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com