Painter OK HYUN YOON’s works visualize the intangible nature of memory; she considers the mental and emotional loss of memories by rendering the abstract concepts of absence and presence. Through minute dots of paint she calls “capsules”, the artist explores the ways in which memories are stored, preserved, and restructured. Via the act of painting the capsules she refreshes old memories, pays homage to the past, and ultimately conveys a narrative about the nature of being alive in the world.

In the artist’s Untitled 17, capsules writhe from the bottom of the canvas like tall grasses, each dot of paint representing a memory. The thinning of the capsules represents loss, displacement, or memories that have disappeared. Untitled 6 is a more sporadic composition, the memory capsules forming tight, white patterns on the dark canvas and indicating the safety and security of the remembrances. Finally, In Untitled 20, the artist renders capsules in shades of deep magenta, blue, and green. The combination of colors, textures, and forms indicates the diversity of histories portrayed.