HYONG NAM AHN

ARTIST BIO & ARTIST STATEMENT

Hyong Nam Ahn, a Korean artist based in New Jersey, has always been captivated by the kinetic and ever-changing nature of the environment, continually searching for visual idioms that can express this dynamism. He employs mixed media and controlling devices to vividly convey his inner thoughts, reflecting his empathy for human relationships in a technology-driven world—a world that, often without conscience, has used force to dominate the natural environment. While human relationships have evolved in response to this phenomenon, the fundamental laws of the universe, such as the constancy of the speed of light since Creation, remain unchanged.

Since arriving in Chicago in the 1970s, Ahn has sought to develop his identity through art. In doing so, he has dedicated himself to exploring new avenues of thought, striving for a pure understanding of what his work represents—an endeavor of great significance and value.

Ahn's art seeks a new way of thinking, aiming to create pieces that are deeply personal yet also resonate with the culture he left behind in Korea. His clarity of purpose has guided him in reconciling the dualities of art and life, finding ways to integrate them and view each in relation to the other.Ahn's recent works are largely inspired by natural phenomena like moonlight and migrating birds, often incorporating sound and light to address formal aesthetic challenges. He explores how sound and light serve as both subject matter and material in contemporary art.

Ahn uses a diverse array of materials—cut aluminum forms, stainless steel rods, wood, stone, oil paint—as well as environmental elements like wind, as metaphors alluding to the natural world. His sensitivity to balance, light, and movement is heightened by the interplay of these disparate materials in a fluid dialogue.

Rather than critiquing industrialization or consumerism, Ahn’s use of technology and industrial materials, such as neon lights, alongside natural materials and motifs, references the dichotomy of our environment, which encompasses both the manmade and the natural. These seemingly fractured yet balanced elements engage the viewer in a sophisticated dialogue about philosophy, nature, progress, technology, and spirituality.

Hyong Nam Ahn was invited to over twenty solo exhibitions, including "Eternal Love" at Love Community Church in NY; "Finding Dignity" at Have Gallery in Ghungdo, Korea; "For the peace and harmony of the world" at Art Mora NY; "Seeing (through) Music" at Korean Cultural Service in NY, among many. Ahn's works were highlighted with light and sound incorporations, including "The Place Called One Two Three" at Morning Dance & Performance Theater in Chicago, IL; "Light Installation in Space" at Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago IL; and "Sound and Light Sculpture Duluth" at Tweed Museum in MN.