Press Release

Whitestone Gallery is pleased to present A Stayed Moment, a solo exhibition of MANE, an artist whose work revisits the emotional landscapes of childhood, on view from May 30 through July 19. Centered around “Mariffe,” a character embodying childhood nostalgia and a spirit of adventure, this exhibition unfolds scenes of memories that have long lingered in the depths of the mind.

In this exhibition, the artist focuses on traces left within intangible sensations, such as the specific light, warmth, and vintage scent of a particular moment in memory. Like the tranquility inside a small fortress made of blankets and chairs, the sense of relief when tightly hugging a teddy bear, or the night air while standing alone under the moonlight, the works reflect fleeting sensations and afterimages that haunt the heart, rather than distinct forms of factual memory.

The canvas features character-driven images inspired by pop culture that combine vivid color palettes, bold imagery, and elements of popular culture. Overlapping past visual experiences with present emotions, the artist creates dreamlike landscapes where memory and reality, imagination and emotion intersect. While this space unequivocally originates from the artist’s personal recollection, it simultaneously expands into a landscape of universal sentiment that anyone might cherish in a corner of their heart.

“Mariffe,” the character appearing repeatedly at the center of the exhibition, is a being filled with curiosity and adventure. Mariffe represents the artist’s own childhood and an as-yet-unnamed form of emotion, while also existing like the inner self remaining somewhere within each viewer’s memory. Moving freely between memory and reality, imagination and emotion, Mariffe guides viewers to once again confront the sensations that have long lingered deep within themselves.

A Stayed Moment is a story about the moments when emotions, once thought to have vanished long ago, quietly reawaken within present sensations. Moving beyond merely empathizing with the artist’s memories, viewers will find themselves remembering once more the precious scenes that have long remained still within their own lives.

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Also Exhibiting at Whitestone Gallery

Address
70 Sowol-ro
Yongsan-ku
Seoul
South Korea
Opening Hours
Tuesday – Sunday
11am – 7pm
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Seoul 70 Sowol-ro, Yongsan-ku
Whitestone Gallery
70 Sowol-ro, Yongsan-ku, Seoul, South Korea

Opening hours
Tuesday – Sunday
11am – 7pm
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