David Heo

David Heo is a Korean-American image maker known for his multidisciplinary practice that seamlessly combines painting, collaging, and various mediums and symbologies. He is inspired by ancient Western mythologies, hyper-saturated 90s animation, and the dualities of hybrid culture, which he incorporates into his work to create anecdotes that recall nostalgia.

Heo's practice echoes Deconstructivist tendencies that relate to the fragmentation of surfaces and structures. He often incorporates motifs that refer to the harmonies and dissonances between two uniquely South Korean identity-based political beliefs: Han and Jeong. Heo believes they are synonymous with one another and creates a vision of liminal space by flowing between representation and abstraction.

His distinctly bold style is heavily informed by his interpretations of the Asian-American experience and its intersection with American popular culture, iconography, and western art history. Heo employs a variety of techniques, including chopping, skewing, and presenting his work to create disjointed narratives that allow viewers to experience his thought process as he samples between his American and South Korean identities.