JIHA MOON
Lucid Yellow
Exhibition Details
November 13th — January 23rd
Reception with the Artist: Friday, November 13th, 2020 4-9 PM
Laney Contemporary is pleased to present Lucid Yellow, an exciting exhibition of paintings and ceramics by internationally-celebrated, Atlanta-based artist, Jiha Moon, whose work is now represented by the gallery. Lucid Yellow, a color name conceived by the artist, is bold, full of saturation and infused with cultural symbolism. Art historical references range from the wavy-haired blonde, Pop Art brushstrokes of Roy Lichtenstein to the golden coif of Warhol’s Marilyn to the exoticized, glowing locks of Renaissance goddesses. Colors have shifting references. Bold intensities of color, with a focus on yellow, wind and wander throughout Moon’s work. Yellow is at once the punk, rainbow hair dye of a teenager and also the historically-loaded notion of racial stereotyping within the U.S. of Asian identity. Her work embraces the idea that identity can be mutable at times like hair color; one is not necessarily born with a consistent sense of identity. Her work encourages dialogue and multi-valenced meaning. Intentionally playful, it moves with ease between new and ancient, political and cultural.
Moon’s paintings shimmer with luminous, acrylic brushwork on brown, Korean Hanji paper mounted on canvas or panel. This generates associations with the patina of antique books and the cultural tradition of works on paper. The meeting point between old and new is an essential part of Moon’s practice. Her signature evil eyes, milagros, iconic emojis, and corporate logos, like the Twitter bird, intermingle within each composition.
Lucid Yellow also features an installation of Moon’s wall-mounted masks and a large selection of her ceramic sculptures, earthenware and porcelain, often incorporating found objects. Blending high and low, energetic graphics and calligraphic linework form dynamic tensions between shape and surface. The cherry-red lips of a smiling mouth, not unlike the mouth at the center of a de KooningWoman, are prominent in the recent ceramic compositions, adding to the brilliance of her shape-shifting and mischievous variations.
