“Ariadne's Thread” Installation view ©PKM GalleryPKM Gallery presents a solo exhibition titled “Ariadne’s Thread” by Shin Min Joo through April 13. The artist, who has been exploring the essence of painting through the fundamental act of brushstrokes, returns three years after her solo showcase at PKM Gallery in 2021, presenting 19 new works that weave the mysterious narratives of Greek and Roman mythologies with vibrancy.
As Shin embodies the senses and images encountered in everyday life as if breathing, she conveys abstraction with condensed tension and energy through repeated actions of painting, accompanied by thick brushstrokes and powerfully pushing down with a tight squeegee. Viewers experience the paintings emanating energy and chance, manifested through rich colors and sturdy materiality. These elements encapsulate the artist’s emotions she perceived in life through the process of ‘painting’ and ‘wiping off’ with brushes and squeegees, as well as her imposing vitality on canvas, endowed with a vigor for one’s own survival.
The exhibition, “Ariadne’s Thread,” derives its title from an episode of Greek and Roman mythology. It recounts the tale of Ariadne, the princess of the Kingdom of Crete, who desperately entrusts a thread to Theseus, the prince of Athens. Theseus ventures into the labyrinth to confront the Minotaur, a monstrous creature that devours the human sacrifices offered by the kingdom. The narrative of Theseus finding the way out from the dark depths following the red thread resonates with Shin’s own journey. She views artistic tools – brush, squeegee, paint, and canvas – as the threads that guide her through the labyrinth of life and artistic practice. Just as Ariadne’s thread served as a lifeline for Theseus, Shin considers ‘painting’ to be a steadfast tool of protection without losing her sense of self.
Dawn on that day, Troy, That night, Troy, That night, Troy 2, That night, Troy 3, fill the exhibition space as if Achilles’ revenge towards Troy and the burning horse of Odysseus are in front of the viewer. Resembling flames and smoke, aglow in shades of red and fog, the traces of Shin’s rough brushworks and squeezing intertwine with the mysterious story associated with the title, evoking the viewer’s imagination and concentration. Shin reinterprets old myths of love and wisdom – the story of Paris and Troy who faced the desperate moment with the golden apple, the curiosity and love that Psyche and Echo could not let go of, and the pain of punishment that Theseus and Prometheus endured – as abstract works. She embraces the comfort of the past in the present and unfolds them like a thread with anticipation for the future.
After graduating from the Department of Painting at Hongik University with both a bachelor’s and master’s degree, Shin held numerous exhibitions at some of Korea’s most prominent museums, including the Ilmin Museum of Art, the Kumho Museum of Art, and the Hanwon Museum of Art. In addition to her solo exhibition at PKM Gallery, her works will also be featured at Galleries Art Fair 2024, where her solo booth will serve as an extension of the pieces showcased in the current exhibition.
