Suzanne Song: Near Distance

Gallery Baton is pleased to announce Suzanne Song's solo exhibition,  《Near Distance》, on view from 6 March to 14 April at the gallery's Hannam-dong location in Seoul. Suzanne Song creates paintings and installations, employing simple elements such as lines, form, and a reduced color palette to create a multifaceted dimension and reimagine this space as an immaterial and conceptual object.

In 《Near Distance》, Suzanne transcends traditional notions of "painterly representation of experienced space," weaving a subtle interplay between perspective (far and near) and the variations of familiarity and unfamiliarity within a space into vibrant and rigorous compositions. Inspired by the revelation and compartmentalization of space within physical structures, she experiments with different mediums to accentuate differences or highlight the physical properties of materials, such as employing a coarse pumice medium to build up surfaces and emphasize tangible elements against trompe l'oeil effects.

Interplay and Intervals series unveiled since the early 2000’s are good examples of the approach. They convey Song’s deliberation and research on how a target of depiction flexibly responds to diverse perspectives or compositions and whether a painting genre is convincing enough for that multidimensional expression. Accordingly, it is not difficult to discover some definite proofs of attempts to expand medium experiments in her works of this period, such as emphasizing the physical properties of materials or the contrast of shades by applying Pumice with paint inspired by how structures of buildings or walls create and divide spaces. While her earlier works explored the "illusion of space" through monochromatic layers, Suzanne's recent pieces delve into space from a microscopic perspective. Her meticulous compositions, such as Purple Hearts (2024) and Centerfold (Green/Pink) (2024), evoke infinite repetition within a system reminiscent of natural phenomena exhibiting repeating patterns within critical zones.

At first glance, Song’s work may draw parallels with Minimal Art, characterized by repetition of basic units and modules, monochromatic tones, and an emphasis on planes and lines. However, she selectively borrows these formal aspects to depict societal structures' abstract and improvisational nature, leading toward a hyperconnected society. In an era of hyperconnectivity, where the boundaries between reality and the virtual blur, Suzanne reflects on the fluid relationship between near and far and the Mobius-like cycles that characterize modern life. Through her art, she encourages us to embrace the ambiguity and constant change inherent in our contemporary existence.

About Artist
Suzanne Song (b.1974) has received a BFA from Clemson University, US and an MFA from Yale School of Art at Yale University, US.  She has participated in exhibitions at The Drawing Center, US and Doosan Gallery NY, US. As a recipient of the Smack Mellon Artist Studio Program and New York Foundation of the Arts (NYFA) Fellowship, she continues her vibrant artistic practice as a member of the Elizabeth Foundation of the Arts (EFA) in New York City. Her work is represented in the collections of the Museum of Art, Rhode Island School of Design in US.