“E-Piphany” Series
Inspired by Abstract Expressionism, “E-Piphany” is Cho’s latest series, one of several, large oil and acrylic abstract paintings that explore the interactions of light, color, and emotion. This series is unique in the way Cho incorporates Joomchi into her painting, the unique Korean traditional way of making textured paper by using Hanji (Korean mulberry paper) and water.
It imbues her “Korean sensibility” to the paintings both tactilely and through what it elicits emotionally during creation. Cho emphasizes the essential aspect of her internal ephemeral poetic emotions inspired by her materials – pigments, minerals, earth, sands, and papers that reveal her most authentic creative process. The gestural movements of her body and hands guided by the flow of her emotions free her from any particular ideology or dogma. Cho directly connects with the simple emotions of everyday life and ultimate liberation the process allows, capturing the essence of creative vibrancy.
Cho’s fondness for warm, Korean tones, exemplified by her materials and gesturality connect not only to the artistic culture of Korea, the artist’s native land, but also to the realities of the Western culture where she currently resides and has spent half her life. The sands, mountains, fields, and waters converge in Cho’s palette bringing together the colors, light, and emotions in these recent works. This is the artist’s diary enhanced with her valuable travel notes.
Cho sees each movement as a complete experience of self meditation in relation to her world. Cho interacts by means of symbols and the layers of color in her paintings. Trees, mountains, barks, and stones, charcoals, papers, ochre and pigments all coalesce in imaginary landscapes where one can feel her creative energy and inner poetic reality. It’s a destination with neighborhoods familiar and yet always new in Cho’s multiidentity.