Statement from the Artist -

Through sumukhwa (수묵화, 水墨畫), or ink wash painting, my only wish is to bring joy to others. My practice is informed by classical poetry and texts, nature, and a deep infatuation with the materiality of ink. I place a great deal of emphasis on my research, whether the means are academic, experiential, or experimental. Accordingly, my process for painting tends to be rather slow, placing my work in direct friction with the expectations of modern rapidity. I find this intentional method of making more than just gratifying, but an essential component to my practice, and my personal act of rebellion.

By working in ink, I am honoured to continue the legacy of centuries of literati and artists who have come before me. However, while I hold this lineage in the highest regard, I remain highly critical of the antiquated political and social ideologies embedded in the visual language of pre-modern ink, often masquerading as “tradition.” It is a disservice to any medium when its artists fail to innovate on what has come before, and I refuse to fail this medium, to which I have dedicated myself.

About the Artist -

b. 1999 Wol-Un is an ink artist, formerly based in Vancouver, BC, the unceded traditional territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam), Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh) Nations. Wol-Un was born to parents of Korean and Chinese-Filipino descent.

Alumni of Emily Carr University of Art + Design, Bachelor of Fine Arts, contributor to the Wing Luke Museum, the City of Seattle, 2024 solo exhibition at the Postmark Center for the Arts, and recipient of the 2024 Audain Foundation Travel Award.

Wol-Un is a pseudonym, or an “art name” that follows a tradition of East Asian cultures in which artists use pen names to represent things which hold value to them or their work. In Korean, this concept of an art name is known as, “ho” (호,號). Wol-Un is a name derived from the Chinese characters, hanja (한자, 漢字) for Moon (Wol,⽉) and Cloud (Un,雲).

E-mail:

info@sunatnight.art