Tree and Garden

Seon-hwa Jo is an artist whose practice, grounded in painting, reflects on the relationship between humans and nature. she explores a world of coexistence and circulation where nature neither overwhelms humans nor is dominated by them, delving into the theme of the “sharing of life force.” Her canvases, completed through a process of repetitive labor and contemplation, reveal the intersection of materiality and spirituality. For Seon-hwa Jo, painting is not merely a space to depict charming or affectionate scenes, but a realm in which the grandeur of life-bearing nature, human dignity, and the respect that blossoms between them are investigated. The ridgelines, blooming scallion flowers, and drifting figures that fill his canvases do not seek to intrude upon or dominate nature; instead, they coexist as small beings within its order, prompting viewers to reconsider the relationship between humans and the natural world.