「Future of Fubao」150x150 cm, Edition of 12
「Empire」150x210 cm, Edition of 12
「Shangrila」150x150 cm, Museum Edition 1/3
「Leo」90x90cm, Edition of 12

In this exhibition Koh Sang Woo delivers the message of coexistence and symbiosis that ‘All Life is Equally Valuable’.  

Koh shows subjects of endangered animals, with animal portrait series, a compilation of digital drawings of 15 endangered animals. 

The most notable works in this exhibition are the digital paintings of endangered animals, which borrowed the form of a frontal portrait in traditional art. Koh took the often-underestimated animal portraits and presented them as equally important to the human portraits to achieve the equality of species. His practice embeds the artistic message equivalent to a declaration of animal rights, recognizing wild animals to have individuality and emotions just like humans, and as beings who should be respected as members of the community of multi-species.  

In his works, animals have been given personality, which is evident through their gaze which reaches out towards the audience. Strong and confident, their eyes break the anthropocentric worldview where humans are recognized to be superior, and animals are regarded as inferior. Also, the blue tone which is from the negative techniques where color and shades of photographs are reversed, is featured not only in his self-portraits and human portraits but also in the animal portraits. 

Through this exhibition, Koh proposes a way back to the source of life. Empathizing with the pain of others, and working towards lessening that pain is the utmost challenge facing humans. Through the relationship one holds with the other, one can reflect on the reason and value for one’s existence.  

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🔶KOH SANG WOO

2001　Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.), School of the Art Institute of Chicago, U.S.
2000　The New School, New York Studio Program, New York, U.S.
1997　Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) Pre-College Program, U.S.

Solo Exhibitions
2023　*Prestige Blue*, Shinsegae Gallery, SSG Department Store, Seoul 
2022　*Forever Free*, Solo Exhibition, Sabina Art Museum, Seoul
2020　*Wild in Blue*, Wanloi Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands
2019　*The Hug*, Solo Exhibition, Sabina Art Museum, Seoul
2017　Ko Sang-woo Solo Exhibition, Asian Artworks, 798 Beijing, China
2016　Ko Sang-woo Solo Exhibition, Wanloi Gallery, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Awards
2019　Gallery Now Art Award, Seoul, South Korea
2009 AHL Asian Art Award, Winner, AHL Foundation, New York

Public Collections
Art Bank, National Museum of Contemporary Art, South Korea
Korea University Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
Hongik University Museum of Art, Seoul, South Korea
Sabina Art Museum, Seoul, South Korea
Hoseo University, Seoul, South Korea