Poison opens May 11, 2021 at TAG Gallery, 5458 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036. TAG is open 11am-5pm, Tue-Sat
In 2020 we all realize that there are more poisons in our lives than cyanide and arsenic. Toxic substances are found in our homes, our clothes, and our food, yet we seem to tolerate these harmful things being manufactured for our consumption. Even the tools I use for making art (such as pigments for glazes and finishes) require me to take precautions while working. Some ceramic pieces cannot be used for eating and drinking. In our homes we often find house plants that are deadly if eaten by pets or children. Our cars poison the air we breathe. We now check labels on our food for evidence that we are not ingesting chemicals or hormones that can be toxic. Today we can see the entire city of Flint, Michigan poisoned by the water in their homes.
Living through the Covid pandemic I watched toxic behavior from my fellow citizens such as racism or sexist attitudes that shape our society. Seeing our nation’s capital being attacked by those who consider themselves patriots I witnessed poisonous behavior destroying the very place that patriots should protect. Clearly, these people have been “poisoned”. People are not created proud boys without toxic input.
The art I have chosen for this exhibition reflects some of my thinking about the venomous world I live in.
From toxic flowers to mindless “blockheads” or babies that are twisted from the poisons from their mothers. All of these things point to how ubiquitous poison is in our everyday lives. But the real toxin seems to be greed.
About the Artist: Sean’s art practice revolves around sculptural ceramics to interdisciplinary mixed media works. In his visual languages, intuition, psychology, human nature, and higher-level consciousness are melded with precarious contextual backings and sustenance. As a Korean American, cisgender, gay man Sean’s art is transcultural and transformative.
