b. 1967, South Korea

Koo Jeong A Biography

Korean contemporary artist Koo Jeong A is recognised for her poetic paintings, sculptures and site-specific architectural projects that examine notions of space and transformation.

Read More

Artworks

Since the 1990s, Koo has primarily engaged with quotidian objects and spaces to interrogate moments of transformation, in particular between the visible and invisible, familiar and strange or ambivalent material states. In addition to the more conventional mediums of painting, drawing, photography and sculpture, Koo has also worked with new digital technologies such as 3D animation and augmented reality.

Ousss

Recurring throughout Koo's practice is the term 'Ousss', a conceptual space that provides the starting point for many of her works, without having a distinct form or definition. Ousss is not intended to be a legible or graspable concept and has manifested in various states. It is a four-letter word in the colour photograph Ouss (2001), seemingly written in contrails against the blue sky or the suffix in the 3D animation MYSTERIOUSSS (2017), whose child-like protagonist explores a dark, ambiguous space.

Phosphorescent Sculptures

Among Koo's iconic works are her glow-in-the-dark skate parks, first installed in 2012 as the culmination of a four-year project at Vassivière Island, France. Named OTRO, the 2,300 square foot concrete sculpture-park consists of tunnels and curves dug into the ground, forming a hypnotic, immersive environment at night.

Koo's skate parks have since been installed at multiple locations across the world, including Liverpool and São Paulo in 2016, and in Seoul as part of her solo exhibition 2020 at PKM Gallery. Also included in 2020 was 'Seven Stars' (2020), a series of canvases painted with acrylic paint and phosphorescent pigment. In the dark, the stars glowed in layers of green light, oscillating between two- and three-dimensional images reminiscent of outer space.

Magnets

Koo's ongoing interest in the potential of magnets as a sculptural medium derives from her research into the work of Cedric Price, whose 1997 architectural project 'Magnet' proposed ten short-life structures for the urban city. Using pre-cut, mass-produced magnet pieces, Koo creates small- or large-scale sculptures with a predetermined number for each work.

In her solo exhibition Magnet Cities at London's Pilar Corrias in 2018, eight ring magnets compose the work 13/2018, while a large slab of 578 pieces make up 2/2018 (both 2018). At PKM Gallery in 2020, the numbers referred to historic events. The 518 ceramic pieces taking over two adjacent walls in 518 (2020), for example, allude to the May 18 Gwangju Uprising in Korea, while the 911 magnets neatly arranged into a square – save for the eleven on one side – in 911 (2020) recall the September 11 terror attacks. Consisting of small units, Koo's magnet sculptures can be reconfigured into different arrangements, perhaps suggesting the fluidity of interpreting history.

Augmented Reality

Venturing into new technology, Koo presented her first augmented reality work in 2019, showing Prerequisites 7 at the 58th Venice Biennale. The work comprised an activation of her pen drawings from Nomos Alpha (2018), an artist's book that humorously captures everyday life.

Koo's work density (2019) followed at London's Frieze Sculpture 2019, featuring a translucent ice cube that slowly turns in the air. Travelling to other locations, including the Fondation Beyeler, Somerset House and the Julia Stoschek Collection, density provided an alternative to the traditional mode of exhibiting physical artworks during a pandemic.

Yong Dong

The eagle is the central motif of [ Yong Dong ], Koo's solo exhibition at Pilar Corrias in 2022 that draws its yellow-and-red colour scheme from traditional Korean amulets. Combining the form of amulets and the eagle, a bird Koo associates with freedom and strength, paintings such as [ EF Gravissimousss ] and EF__[Inonotousss ] (2022) depict three-headed birds – another auspicious symbol in Korea – on a rocky landscape, each head surveying different directions, as if providing protection in the midst of a global pandemic.

Exhibitions

Koo Jeong A has exhibited internationally in solo and group presentations. Koo will represent South Korea at the 60th Venice Biennale in 2024.

Solo exhibitions include: [ Yong Dong ], Pilar Corrias, London (2022); Koo Jeong A, Galerie Eva Presenhuber, New York (2020); Koo Jeong A, KÖNIG GALERIE, Berlin (2018–2019); ajeongkoo, Art Sonje Center, Seoul (2017).

Group exhibitions include: Arcimboldo Face to Face, Centre Pompidou-Metz, France (2021); Eternal Now, PKM Gallery, Seoul (2020); The World According to, Pace Gallery, New York (2019); Mondialite, Boghossian Foundation Villa Empain, Brussels (2017); The Sound of Things, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon (2015).

Website

Koo Jeong A's website can be found here and Instagram can be found here.

Sherry Paik | Ocula | 2023

Koo Jeong A
featured artworks

View 37 More
After CURIOUSSSA by Koo Jeong A contemporary artwork painting
Koo Jeong A After CURIOUSSSA, 2016–2017 Oil painting on canvas
30 x 40 x 2 cm
PKM Gallery Request Price & Availability
NOMOS Alpha by Koo Jeong A contemporary artwork print
Koo Jeong A NOMOS Alpha, 2016 Print
109 x 88 x 5 cm
PKM Gallery Request Price & Availability
Annual Journey I by Koo Jeong A contemporary artwork painting, works on paper
Koo Jeong A Annual Journey I, 2013 Watercolour on paper
150.5 x 255 cm
Pilar Corrias Request Price & Availability
[ EF Astragalousss ] by Koo Jeong A contemporary artwork painting, works on paper
Koo Jeong A [ EF Astragalousss ], 2022 Acrylic on linen
79.5 x 60 cm
Pilar Corrias Request Price & Availability
[ EF Inonotousss ] by Koo Jeong A contemporary artwork painting
Koo Jeong A [ EF Inonotousss ], 2022 Acrylic on linen
152 x 122.5 cm
Pilar Corrias Request Price & Availability
Untitled by Koo Jeong A contemporary artwork painting
Koo Jeong A Untitled, 2022 Acrylic on linen
152 x 122.5 cm
Pilar Corrias Request Price & Availability
It is not yet an Universe where Saturn is by Koo Jeong A contemporary artwork works on paper
Koo Jeong A It is not yet an Universe where Saturn is, 2013 Watercolour on paper

Not for sale
Duddell's
View 37 More

Koo Jeong A
recent exhibitions

View 6 More
View 6 More

Represented by these
Ocula Member Galleries

View 6 More

Koo Jeong A in
Ocula Magazine

Learn more about the market for works
by Koo Jeong A.
Enquire for a confidential discussion. Enquire Now
Simon Fisher, Ocula CEO
Ocula Advisor
Simon Fisher
Christoper Taylor, Ocula Advisor
Ocula Advisor
Christopher Taylor
Eva Fuchs, Ocula Advisor
Ocula Advisor
Eva Fuchs
Rory Mitchell, Ocula Advisor
Ocula Advisor
Rory Mitchell

Koo Jeong A in
Ocula Advisory

Ocula discover the best in contemporary art icon.
Follow Koo Jeong A
Stay ahead.
Receive updates on new artworks,
exhibitions and articles.
Your personal data is held in accordance with our privacy policy.
Follow
Do you have an Ocula account?
Ocula discover the best in contemporary art icon.
Get Access
Join Ocula to request price and availability of artworks, exhibition price lists and build a collection of favourite artists, galleries and artworks.
Do you have an Ocula account? Login
What best describes your interest in art?

Subscribe to our newsletter for upcoming exhibitions, available works, events and more.
By clicking Sign Up or Continue with Facebook or Google, you agree to Ocula's Terms & Conditions. Your personal data is held in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
Thank you for joining us. Just one more thing...
Soon you will receive an email asking you to complete registration. If you do not receive it then you can check and edit the email address you entered.
Close
Thank you for joining us.
You can now request price and availability of artworks, exhibition price lists and build a collection of favourite artists, galleries and artworks.
Close
Welcome back to Ocula
Enter your email address and password below to login.
Reset Password
Enter your email address to receive a password reset link.
Reset Link Sent
We have sent you an email containing a link to reset your password. Simply click the link and enter your new password to complete this process.
Login