Soonik Kwon: Mountains as Mountains, Waters as Waters

Whitestone Gallery presents _Mountains as Mountains, Waters as Waters_, a solo exhibition by Korean abstract artist Kwon Soonik, on view from August 29 through October 11. Centered on Interstice, the artist's long-running signature body of work, the exhibition also introduces recent formal developments and offers a focused view of the evolution of Kwon's practice. The exhibition title, _Mountains as Mountains, Waters as Waters_, encapsulates the attitude Kwon has increasingly pursued in his recent work. Just as a mountain exists as a mountain and water as water, Kwon does not seek to explain a fixed meaning or reproduce a particular subject. Instead, his work draws attention to the sensations and resonance inherent in existence itself, reflecting a desire to see things simply as they are. His description of these recent works as "paintings that need no explanation" speaks to the same position: the canvas is not a vehicle for delivering a message, but an autonomous presence. It stands before the viewer as a world in its own right.