WhentheYellowBreezeBlowsat4:45
WrittenbySarahGeeMillerFirst,youhavetostoprushingaround,hardasthatmightbePutthephoneawayandclose youreyesBreatheOnlynowcanyoubegintofeelwhatMiraSongpaintedinhernewGreen series,theexhibitiontitled"WhentheYellowBreezeBlowsat4:45".Althoughtheexactword isdifficulttopindown,reverence,maybe,butitiswithoutbaggageThesepaintingsare joyous,whichmakesthem,inasense,bothprovocativeandnotableThesearelush,juicy imagesofgrowingplants,swirlingtextures,splotchesanddrops,andstringsoflights.It's alwaysalateafternoonhere,onawarmday,andyouarelookinginonacarefullycultivated, almostritualistically-orderedgardenspaceTheviewerisalwaysplacedjustoutside,offering aglimpsethroughaportaloralittlewindow.Yet,thisexclusionaryviewisnotalienating,nor isitvoyeuristic,it'saninvitationtolinger,evenassumeownershipinwhatweseeThe paintingsthriveinthecuriousspacebetweenabstractionandfigurationInthisspace, objectsarerecognizablebutnotintheshiftingandfragmentedplanesinwhichtheyreside. Itisadreamworldinmanyways,butsubtlyanchoredintheeveryday
There'saninsularqualityhereButratherthanclaustrophobic,it'sairyandlife-affirming, affirmationwrestedfromthemostordinaryofobjectsYet,thesearen’tjustphilosophical exercises,thereisavisceraltactilityaswell-inthevividlyrenderedcementandwood, sidewalkcracks,andwinterbranchesEvenintheabstractedshapes,thereisasenseof aliveness,oxygen-rich,andelementalIt'smagicofthemosthumblekind;there'snothing didactichere,whichisremarkable,giventhesenseofquietrevelationintheimages.It’sup totheviewerwhetherornottotakewhatisoffered
Songhaslongbeenfascinatedwiththespaces,botharchitecturalandpersonal;howwe constructthemandchoosetoliveinthem;andhowthebestofbuildingdesigninvitesusto improveourlives.AsachildgrowingupinthecrowdedcityofSeoul,shefoundrefugeand inspirationintheimaginarygoings-oninsideapotcontainingabonsaitreeinherparent's smallgardenItwasaplaceshecouldenterwithhermind,aminiatureworldBonsaiitselfis acontrolledprocess,acarefullyconsideredversionofreality.Songrecognizestheparallels betweentheprunerandtheartist,especiallyinthepastfewyearsaspandemicrestrictions causedustoturninward,ourobsessionsamplifiedasahexagainstanincreasinglyupsetting world.Thecarefultendingoflivingthings,thecloseexaminationofwhatitmeanstobeat peaceInthehandsofafineandconfidentapainterasMiraSong,theritualbecomesthe remedy
InstallationView:WhentheYellowBreezeBlowsat4:45
InstallationView:WhentheYellowBreezeBlowsat4:45
InstallationView:WhentheYellowBreezeBlowsat4:45
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