Soey Milk - "Pida"

Hashimoto Contemporary is pleased to present "PIDA", a solo exhibition of new paintings and illustrations by renowned LA-based artist Soey Milk. This month's show explores a lavish world of colorful textiles and beguiling figures, consisting of works ranging from oil paintings on panel to exquisitely rendered graphite drawings on paper. Milk’s attention to detail, color and organic form brings forth a curious state of mind that is both unexplainable and intimate. 

The Korean term “PIDA / 피다” means to blossom or to become something else. The artist touches on this notion of self-exploration, describing her new body of work as “a solitary dialogue” and “quiet experimentation where discoveries are made.” Her painted figures are brought to life in stunning realism through numerous layers of pigment and glaze. Every playful glance or subtle gesture dances within grand movements of abstraction, thus giving rise to a quirky elegance that is difficult to disregard. Manifested in parallel detail, Milk's graphite drawings focus more on light and the gentle contours it creates upon the female form. Her graphite women exist on a simplified background of raw paper, with soft shadows falling from every eyelash. These drawings delicately echo their vibrant oil counterparts, while still retaining their own unshakeable grip. 

Influenced by textiles from around the world, the artist also experiments with various adornments throughout her new works. Lush folds of fabric and vivid strokes of color can be seen cradling her subjects, creating different textural experiences within every piece. Over the past year, Milk has also introduced embedded objects into her paintings, whether by incorporating crushed flower pedals or earth. These tangible elements slowly build around the artist's fascination in every narrative they bring to her unexpected world.  

Please join us for “PIDA”, opening Thursday October 1st with an evening reception from 6pm-10pm where the artist will be in attendance. The exhibition will be on view through Saturday, October 24th.