Jae Ko - Gi (氣 Vital Force)
Opera Gallery is pleased to present Korean/American artist Jae Ko's first solo exhibition in London. Featuring wall-mounted works and freestanding sculptures, the selection traces Jae Ko's distinctive visual language with elegant ellipses, spirals, and ribbon installations made of recycled paper soaked in vats of ink. Her biomorphic creations address the relationship between humans, nature, and writing, all of which focus on an expressive form of figuration resonant with movement and the chromatic interplay of fluid, organic form. Informed by her Korean roots as much as by her training in Japan and subsequent career in the US, her works seamlessly combine and challenge the principles of these traditions. Jae Ko aims 'to present the hidden forces of nature', drawing connections with traditional East Asian beliefs that a vital force animates all living entities, flowing through all aspects of nature.
SELECTED WORKS
Jae Ko, JK439 Red and Indian Yellow, 2023
Rolled paper and pigmented ink
105 x 55 x 14 cm | 41.3 x 21.7 x 5.5 in
Jae Ko, JK709 Cream, 2010
Rolled paper, colored ink, glue
170 x 60 x 42 cm | 66.9 x 23.6 x 16.5 in
Jae Ko, JK365 Crimson, 2015
Rolled paper, colour pigment and glue
56 x 44 x 15 cm | 22 x 17.3 x 5.9 in
Jae Ko, JK2154 Green, 2022
Rolled paper, colour pigment and glue
183 x 122 x 5 cm | 72 x 48 x 2 in
Jae Ko, JK2113 Ultramarine Blue, 2021
Rolled paper, Sumi ink and pigmented ink
81,3 x 81,3 x 12,7 cm | 32 x 32 x 5 in