GESTURE OF MOTION
Haeley Kyong

January 10 - May 28, 2020
Opening Reception: Friday, January 10 | 5 - 9 PM during first Friday Art Loop

The idea of relativity is pronounced in color theory, where hues activate and affect the perception of adjacent hues. Although color appears independently identifiable, they are merely illusions based on their placement next to each other. Relativity is also significant in patterns and the use of repetition, conveying a sense of perceived movement.

Relativity is the central principle in Haeley Kyong's newest body of work, Gesture of Motion. Kyong visualizes the theory of relativity with playful interaction between primary forms and subtle color harmony. By employing the basic building blocks of lines, circles, squares, and triangles; and painting them at various orientations, Kyong has found a way to express the perpetual movement of time.

"Simple is not the same as simplistic," Kyong states of her work. The deceptively simple shapes and restrained color belie Kyong's highly precise illusion and reveal her interest in conveying an energy-in-reserve movement. In doing so, Kyong manages to articulate sequential modulation and a state of play. In this series of paintings, Kyong also reveals a mastery at both composition and paint application. Further, there are no visible brushstrokes; interludes of crisp, graphic lines and patterns boldly delineate positive and negative space.

Finding parallels in the Fibonacci sequence and the Pythagorean Theorem, Kyong paints repetitive, interlocking shapes to reinforce certain physical patterns in space and represent the inner workings of nature and human relationships. Drawing comparisons between nature, architectural design, and human interactions, Kyong perceives meaning in physical patterns in space. Simple graphics and harmonic colors are the important ingredients to her aesthetic, intended to express not just the personal, but the ineffable, like the unseen interior of a home. Her work invites viewers to experience the interconnectivity of each individual shape, much like individuals within a family unit or community, as gestures of kinetic energy.

Kyong received her BFA in painting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ and holds an M.Ed and MA in Applied Linguistics from Columbia University, NY. Kyong has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions and public art projects; has commissioned work for corporate offices; and is the recipient of numerous awards and publications. She currently holds a studio in New Jersey and at The Delaware Contemporary.

Beckler Family Gallery