SOBIN PARK

From Saturday, September 12 through Saturday, October 3, 2026, √K Contemporary will present “The Birth of Mir,” the first solo exhibition in Japan by Korean artist Park Sobin, in Space√K, the gallery’s underground alternative space.

Park draws inspiration from the imagery of the dragon and the legend of the Silla-era monk Uisang and the woman Seonmyo, associated with Buseoksa Temple in Korea. Her master’s thesis examined the symbolism and formative qualities of the dragon, and her practice has remained grounded in East Asian art history and aesthetics ever since. Working primarily in pencil drawing, she creates dynamic yet delicate mythological worlds, and has exhibited across South Korea, China, the United States, Italy, and Greece, at institutions including the Gwangju Museum of Art, Spazio SV in Venice, and the Tenri Cultural Institute in New York. She received the 20th Gwangju Art Award in 2014 and has served as an international professor at Hebei Academy of Fine Arts in China, maintaining an active practice across both artmaking and art education. Her work is held in the collections of the Gwangju Museum of Art and the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China in Gwangju, among others.

Marking her first solo exhibition in Japan, the show brings together several of Park’s large-scale works alongside new pieces, offering a comprehensive view of her practice. The exhibition’s title, “The Birth of Mir,” takes its name from “mir (미르),” an old Korean word for “dragon.” It refers both to the dragon that has remained Park’s enduring subject and to the story of Seonmyo, who transformed herself into a dragon to protect Uisang. We invite you to experience the dynamic mythological world Park brings to life through her pencil drawings.

An opening reception will be held on the exhibition’s first day, Saturday, September 12, from 5pm. Park Sobin will be in attendance, and we warmly invite you to join us.