SHIN MINJOO

As Shin embodies the senses and images encountered in everyday life as if breathing, she conveys abstraction withcondensed tension and energy through repeated actions of painting, accompanied by thick brushstrokes and powerfullypushing down with a tight squeegee. Viewers experience the paintings emanating energy and chance, manifested throughrich colours and sturdy materiality. These elements encapsulate the artist’s emotions she perceived in life through theprocess of ‘painting’ and ‘wiping off’ with brushes and squeegees, as well as her imposing vitality on canvas, endowed witha vigour for one’s own survival.

The exhibition, Ariadne’s Thread, derives its title from an episode of Greek and Roman mythology. It recounts the tale ofAriadne, the princess of the Kingdom of Crete, who desperately entrusts a thread to Theseus, the prince of Athens. Theseusventures into the labyrinth to confront the Minotaur, a monstrous creature that devours the human sacrifices offered bythe kingdom. The narrative of Theseus finding the way out from the dark depths following the red thread resonates withShin’s own journey. She views artistic tools—brush, squeegee, paint, and canvas - as the threads that guide her through thelabyrinth of life and artistic practice. Just as Ariadne’s thread served as a lifeline for Theseus, Shin considers ‘painting’ to bea steadfast tool of protection without losing her sense of self.

Dawn on that day, Troy, That night, Troy, That night, Troy 2, That night, Troy 3, fill the exhibition space as if Achilles’ revengetowards Troy and the burning horse of Odysseus are in front of the viewer. Resembling flames and smoke, aglow in shadesof red and fog, the traces of Shin’s rough brushworks and squeezing intertwine with the mysterious story associated withthe title, evoking the viewer’s imagination and concentration. Shin reinterprets old myths of love and wisdom— the storyof Paris and Troy who faced the desperate moment with the golden apple, the curiosity and love that Psyche and Echocould not let go of, and the pain of punishment that Theseus and Prometheus endured—as abstract works. She embracesthe comfort of the past in the present and unfolds them like a thread with anticipation for the future.

After graduating from the Department of Painting at Hongik University with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, Shinheld numerous exhibitions at some of Korea’s most prominent museums, including the Ilmin Museum of Art, the KumhoMuseum of Art, and the Hanwon Museum of Art. In addition to her solo exhibition at PKM Gallery, her works will also befeatured at Galleries Art Fair 2024, where her solo booth will serve as an extension of the pieces showcased in the currentexhibition.