Oonju Chun: Can we all get along?
Carper Contemporary Presents Exhibition of Abstract Paintings by Ogden Valley Artist Oonju Chun
Public Opening Reception: June 4th, 6-8pm
Show Dates: May 15 – July 24
Location: The Argo House, 529 25th Street, Ogden, Utah
Show Hours: Mon- Fri, 9am – 5pm; evenings and weekends by appointment
First Friday of the month: 6-8pm
Carper Contemporary’s spring exhibition for Oonju Chun features a selection of abstract paintings by the Eden, Utah artist that allow for a release from societal tension with free flowing movement, color, and form devoid of underlying narratives or statements. A collection of approximately eight paintings will be on display at 529 25th Street from May 15th to July 24th. The public is invited to an opening reception with the artist during Ogden’s First Friday Art Stroll on June 4th from 6-8pm. A private preview of the show will be held the evening of on May 14th; contact kelly@carpercontemporary.com for more details or call 540-290-4930.
“I am not trying to be understood as an artist,” says Chun. “When I walk up to a blank canvas, what happens is a spontaneous visual reaction with each stroke of line or color.” Chun’s process aligns with that of the Abstract Expressionists, particularly Joan Mitchell and other women artists of the movement, as she values immediacy, spontaneity and pure emotion when painting. Chun’s heritage is another profound influence for her work; she has lived in the United States for over 40 years but remains strongly rooted in her Korean identity. “While I identify with the quiet minimalistic sensibilities of Eastern aesthetics, I am always drawn to the rawness of particular Western art. My work inherently merges these two influences,” she states.
The co-mingling of cultural aesthetics, honest abstraction, and raw emotion present in Chun’s paintings provide a space for relief and universal connection in a time when stress and anxiety run high. Can we all get along? is a liberating body of work for both artist and viewer.
Oonju Chun completed her BFA in Painting & Drawing at the University of Utah in 1981; she has exhibited her work across the state of Utah as well as in Virginia and New Mexico.
Carper Contemporary, founded by independent curator Kelly Carper, is a pop up gallery and art consultancy offering contemporary fine art for commercial and residential projects. Learn more about upcoming shows, available artwork, and consulting services at carpercontemporary.com.