Introduction

Abstract artist Rina Park etches her emotions onto the canvas. Like a fish swimming through the ocean, she freely pours out her experiences onto the canvas, neither confined to a particular subject nor restricted by a specific style. Emotions change like the seasons, depending on the moment in which she is painting, which is why she avoids defining her work with any one word or phrase. "Something even I can't replicate," was Rina Park’s response when asked about beauty. Just as you cannot relive a momentary burst of emotion, her paintings too cannot be recreated. Her works are the result of powerful emotions crashing against the canvas, like the white foam that forms when a wave hits the shore.

For Rina Park, who found no interest in depicting predetermined subjects, the college entrance exam period was a dark time. She often skipped art academy classes and, when she did attend, would sit in the back and paint whatever she pleased. Struggling to adapt to the rigid format of entrance exam art, she opted to study abroad in the U.S. "When I decided to study abroad, I initially leaned more toward textile design than painting, as I’ve always enjoyed handling fabrics. But in my first painting class in the U.S., no one tried to mold my style.” The freedom of American art education, where subjects weren’t imposed, helped Rina break free from the rigid, spoon-fed education system she was used to. "My first abstract work involved layering masking tape on a canvas and splattering paint over it, inspired by the action painting of Jackson Pollock. I had open discussions about my work with my professors, and they all acknowledged it. In Korea, I was always seen as a problem student, and my voice was rarely heard. But in the U.S., I discovered a new world. It taught me that my previous work wasn’t wrong, just different and valid. That’s when I became fascinated with abstract art—there’s no subject, just the freedom to pour out repressed emotions."

“I begin with improvisation and finish with improvisation,” Rina Park said when asked about her process. For her, improvisation doesn’t mean randomly following a fleeting emotion. She spends long hours focusing on drawing out the emotions she wants to express, sometimes staring at a blank canvas for days before starting. "When my emotions peak, I begin painting without any rules until I’ve exhausted them. Let me show you a video of my process—though it looks like any ordinary painter from behind, I’m actually crying the whole time. It’s like when you watch a movie and the tears just come flooding out. Throughout the painting, I’m channeling the emotions from a particular moment in my life. It’s similar to an actor performing a role, except all the emotions I pour out are from my own story.”

If there’s one common thread in Rina Park’s work, it’s the visualization of various emotions. She splashes layers of paint across a white canvas or repeatedly overlays colors. She uses all the force she can muster, at times even scraping away layers of paint. Every completed piece reflects Rina Park’s life. "I think of the beauty in my work as the result of the emotions I’ve experienced while painting. That’s why each piece has a different face. People change too. My face today is surely different from what it was 10 years ago. Our bodies may change with time, but our expressions, actions, tone of voice, and even personality also shift depending on what we go through. In that sense, my work is a self-portrait.”

Through her work, Rina Park sees herself. Every painting captures a moment in time, and no matter how hard she tries, it cannot be perfectly replicated. For her, painting is about recreating her mental landscape, not repeating popular forms and colors. "I don’t think I was able to channel my emotions into my work from the start. Initially, I brought elements from my surroundings into my paintings, but that was more an outburst of repressed feelings than what I’d call ‘my art.’ I think it was in my senior year of college that I first fully translated my emotions onto canvas. At the time, I was dealing with relationship issues. You know how we often gain insight after going through pain? I was in a state of complete helplessness. But my professor told me it was okay not to paint—just to come to the studio. So I sat there, sometimes doing nothing, sometimes chatting with my professor. And then, the canvas came into view." Without fully understanding what she was feeling, Rina began transferring her inner world onto the canvas. It was spontaneous beauty, and it was her truest self.

Rina Park takes great pride in her work because it belongs to her and no one else. The emotions she wishes to hold onto are etched onto the canvas like a tattoo, making it difficult to part with her pieces. For her, exhibiting her work means revealing her true self to the public. "My work may look flat from a distance, but up close, you’ll see it has many layers. It may seem like a single shade of green, but there are countless variations of green mixed in. Some parts are scratched away, revealing the layers underneath, while others are concealed. These hidden parts reflect my inner self, which I also want to keep hidden.” Rina confesses that this is why she cannot stop painting—it’s because she’s painting herself. Instead of drawing inspiration from specific sources, her life experiences naturally shape her work. "I think all the pieces I’ve painted so far were necessary for me. They feel like parts of my body. That’s why I don’t try to add anything intentionally. I just continue working quietly as I live my life. I believe that’s the role of an artist—to capture their inner world.”

Gallery MOSOON is presenting its first-ever painting exhibition with <MIXED EMOTIONS>. The gallery chose Rina Park’s abstract works because, like the work of a craftsman, her paintings reflect the passage of time. Just as a potter shapes clay, Rina Park constructs her canvases and layers them with emotion. Through this exhibition, Gallery Mosun hopes viewers will reconnect with their forgotten emotions, just as if they were encountering a new face. This sentiment is encapsulated in the exhibition title, “Mixed Emotions.”