Suyun Son Bio
SUYUN SON, Magnolia 2. Acrylic on canvas, 40 x 50 inches.
BIO
Suyun Son is a Louisville based artist. Trained in South Korea (BFA from Seoul Women’s University) and at the University of Louisville (MFA), her works was recently selected for Ohio Valley Biennial. Her work has been exhibited at KMAC (Louisville, KY), Georgetown College (Georgetown, KY), Continent to Commonwealth (Frankfort, KY), VAE Gallery (Raleigh, NC), Village Art Circle (Cary, NC), Sun Trust Gallery (Durham, NC) and others. Her bilingual experience creates art that blends both influences. She teaches studio art while developing a multidisciplinary practice rooted in painting, print, fabric, installation, and poetry. She investigates the nuances of identities, presenting art as space for exploration and connection.
ARTIST STATEMENT — THE ABSTRACT SELF
The Abstract Self grows from poetry, music, and the shifting landscapes of memory. My paintings move between Korean heritage and abstract imagination, blending calligraphic rhythm, fragmented symbols, and gestural fields shaped by going, changing, and becoming. Influenced by the New York School, I translate identity, migration, and personal history into color, line, and movement. Each work becomes a quiet record of my life journey — where emotion, rhythm, and memory transfigure into gesture, form, and texture revealing the self not as fixed, but as an evolving terrain shaped by origin and transformation.
EDUCATION
2024 Master of Fine Arts: University of Louisville - Outstanding Graduate Award
2001 Bachelor of Fine Arts: Western Art: Seoul National Women University
SOLO SHOWS
2026
“The Abstract Self” The Wine Room WheelHouse Art Gallery, Louisville KY
“Land I Carry” Surface Noise Derby Forever Gallery, Louisville KY
“Un/Contained Fabric Installation” Louisville Visual Art Project Space, Louisville KY
“Un/Contained” MaybeItsFate Gallery, Louisville KY
2024
“Authentic Fake: Authenticity and Authentication” Gallery at the MFA Building, Hite Art Institute Portland Studios, Louisville KY
2023
“Obangsaek Colors” Humanities Building of University of Louisville, Louisville KY
“Abstract Nature” Anne Wright Wilson Fine Arts Gallery, Georgetown College, Georgetown KY
“Blending Boundaries” Krantz Gallery at Jefferson Community Technical College, Louisville KY
“Blending Boundaries” Common Gallery, Louisville KY
2022
“David’s Dance” Lowber Gallery, Louisville KY
“Lament and Hope” PCUSA GA225th worship video collection, Louisville KY
2019
“Abstract Nature” A/C Hotel, Louisville KY
“Suyun Showcase” MellWood Art Center, Louisville KY
2018
“Seasons” North End Cafe, Louisville KY
2017
“Emerging Artist show case” MADS Gallery, Louisville KY
“Glow” IMURJ Gallery, Raleigh NC
“Genesis” Castalia Meadow Mount, Chapel Hill NC
GROUP SHOWS
2026
“2026 Ohio Valley Biennial Exhibition” Louisville Visual Art, Louisville KY
“Somewhere/Elsewhere” SNAP Foundation, Louisville KY
“Background Vocals” MaybeItsFate Gallery, Louisville KY
“Global Views” Art in City Hall Prospect, Louisville KY
“Emerging Artist” World Wide Showcase Gallery, Louisville KY
“Girl Crush” KMAC, Louisville KY
Women Art Experience, Maven Gallery, Lexington KY
2025
Open Studio Louisville Juried Exhibition, Cressman Center for Visual Arts, Louisville KY
”Under All is the Land” Woman Made Gallery, Chicago IL
“Imagine!” Auction, Francis Parker School, Louisville KY
“Open Borders” Kore Gallery, Louisville KY
2024
“Artistry Unveiled: A Showcase by Art Educators” McGrath Gallery, Bellarmine University
“It's A-boat Time” Portland Museum, Louisville KY
Harrison County Arts Annual, Harrison County Art, Corydon IN
Print Exchange: “Memento Mori”, Exchange with Federation University in Victoria, Australia
“MFA Graduates Exhibition”, Cressman Art Center, Louisville KY
“Girl Crush”, Artportal, Louisville KY
2023
Harrison County Arts Annual, Harrison County Art, Corydon IN
NAMI “Seeing the Invisible”, Actors theater of Louisville, Louisville KY
“Sunset” piece selected for City of Louisville’s Street Gallery Art.
“Continent to Commonwealth - Asian & Asian American” Kentucky Art traveling exhibition, May 2023-May 2024, KY
“Beyond the Elements”, Gallery at the MFA Building, Hite Art Institute University of Louisville, Louisville KY
“Belonging Community Show”, Spring 2023 Gallery at the MFA Building, Hite Art Institute University of Louisville, Louisville KY
“In Plain Sight: Sites of Memory and Rituals” Gallery at the MFA Building, Hite Art Institute University of Louisville, Louisville KY
2022
“Louisville Visual Art Showcase”, Cressman Center for Visual Arts, Louisville KY
“Black and White” exhibition, Kore Gallery, Louisville KY
“Asia in Motion” Cressman Center for Visual Art, Louisville KY
"Ekphrasis," Print art show, The University Writing Center, University of Louisville, Louisville KY
2018
Group Show, Tim Faulkner Gallery, Louisville KY
2017
Members Show Case, Carrack Gallery, Raleigh NC
Durham Art Guild Members Show Case, Sun Trust Gallery, Durham NC
“FLOAT” VAE Gallery, Raleigh NC
2016
“Spring Swing” Durham Art Guild Gallery, Durham NC
“Nudes” Litmus Gallery, Raleigh NC
“Two colors” Tipping Gallery, Raleigh NC
Group Show 311 Gallery, Raleigh NC
ALOFT Hotel exhibition, Durham NC
“Carolina On My Mind” Village Art Circle, Cary NC
“Anything Goes” Litmus Gallery, Raleigh NC
Members Show Case, Carrack Gallery, Durham NC
PRESS/PUBLICATIONS
Leo Weekly’s coverage of Girl Crush group show, March 2024
Painting titled “I Am Going” selected for 2024 thematic visualization by Commonwealth Center for the Humanities and Society
Spectrum News Featured Interview with David Williams on Asian Art in Motion, May 2022
WDRB news interview with Keith Kaiser on Big Four Arts Festival, May 2021
“Blending Boundaries” Leo Weekly Staff Pick Event.
Presbyterian news article on using David’s Dance for its worship space and visual theme for their 225th General Assembly, July 2022
Experience
Lecturer of Studio Art, University of Louisville, KY (August 2025 – June 2026)
Teach ART 301 Introduction to Painting & Art 200 Studio Art and Visual Culture
Visual Art Teacher, Waldorf School, Louisville, KY (August 2024 – July 2025)
Taught 4th-8th grader
First program director of visual art for middle school
Graduate Teacher Assistant, University of Louisville, Louisville, KY (August 2022 -May 2024)
Taught Foundation Drawing Class
Created curriculum
Visiting Artist Lecturer, Jefferson County Community College, Louisville, KY (April 2023)
Taught special art class on painting as exploration of identity
Presented solo show at Krantz gallery
Senior Activity Art Instructor, Atria, Louisville, KY (June 2019-March 2020)
Started and taught a new weekly art class for 15+ seniors
Increased engagement of seniors in creative activities by 10%
Art Class Teacher, Artopia, Raleigh, NC (June 2016 – December 2016)
Taught classes on painting, design, and sculpture to children K-12
Created curriculum
Art Teacher, Jong Dal Sae Art and Music Academy, Seoul, South Korea (January 1994 –December 2000)
Taught painting and sketching to elementary and high school students
Guided high school students with their art portfolio for college entrance
HONORS & AWARDS
Great Meadows Foundation Arist Professional Development Grant 2024 & 2025
Awarded 2nd place for “Artistry Unveiled: A Showcase by Art Educators” McGrath Gallery, Bellarmine University 2024
Outstanding Graduate in Fine Arts 2024
Research Travel Graduate Grant 2024
Dean’s Scholar List Certificate – 4.0 GPA for 2022, 2023, 2024
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Presentation Award from Diversity Chair of University of Louisville
9/11 Visual Art Performance Appreciation Award from Dean of University of Louisville 2022
Graduate Teacher Assistant scholarship 2022, 2023, 2024
Research Material Graduate Grant 2022, 2024
PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES
Instructor at Paint Community Day in Speed Art Museum, 2023
Visual Art Director and Artist in Residence for Presbyterian Church U.S. General Assembly, 2023
Instructor for local artists at Community College Art Festival, 2023
Workshop leader for MFA Graduate students, “Obangsaek Color Theory,” 2023
Lecturer at Humanities Department of Philosophy at University of Louisville, “Hangul as Protest Aesthetics,” 2023
Workshop leader for Asia in Motion, Southeast Asian Conference, 2022
Featured artist at Big Four Arts Festival, 2021
Violinist in Louisville Civic Orchestra, 2017-2024
AFFILIATION
National Art Education Association, member, 2023-present
Louisville Visual Art, member, 2021-present
Durham Art Guild, member, 2015-2017
