Sooyoung Chung

At first glance, the paintings of the South Korean artist Sooyoung Chung can be viewed as 21st-century still lifes, with a hint of the uncanny or the surreal. Chung, however, sees them as self-portraits that reveal her hopes, fears and struggles. Depicting ordinary objects present in people’s lives, her vibrant colour palette, flat application of paint and use of consumer goods as subject matter show clear Pop Art influences. Behind these carefully curated scenes, however, reveals an artist with a multitude of very modern interests and concerns, from her preoccupation with staying healthy to her desire to consume, be it Nike trainers or tequila.

Born in Seoul in 1987, Chung studied at Ewha Womans University in her home city. After completing an MA at London’s Royal College of Art, she continued living and working in the capital. When she first arrived in the UK, she had never been apart from her family.

Shopping for herself for the first time, she created a new identity through her accumulation of objects that was heavily influenced by her London life. Being South Korean and living in Britain, still striving for fluency in English, the everyday objects in her paintings serve as a universal language in which she can connect with those around her.

Chung has hosted two solo exhibitions in South Korea and participated in two group shows at Maddox Gallery. Her debut show in London, and first exhibition with Maddox, took place in spring 2023 at our Maddox Street gallery.