“A single drop of water holds the entire continuum of time – capturing the essence of the past, and the promise of the future all at once.”
This poetic quote is used in reference to Tracing Light, the new show by South Korean contemporary artist Yoo Choong Mok. The show will be running until July 30, 2026, at AP Space, 555 West 25th Street.
During a recent visit to Chelsea, my writing partner, Carmine Desena, and I stopped in to meet the Gallery's Owner, Jean Park, and the artist.
Carmine Desena: Jean, you have really been featuring a very diverse array of contemporary artists at AP Space. What attracted you to the work in this show? How does it fit in with the gallery's overall program?
Jean Park: What attracted me to Yoo Choong Mok's work was its quiet power and emotional depth. At first glance, the paintings appear serene and minimalist, but the longer you spend with them, the more they reveal. There is a sense of contemplation and timelessness that resonates deeply with our increasingly fast-paced world. Yoo's work is unique in the way it transforms something as simple and universal as a droplet of water into a poetic metaphor for memory, reflection, and the passage of time. His use of glass on canvas creates an extraordinary interaction with light, making each work feel alive and constantly changing depending on the viewer's perspective and environment. At AP Space, we are committed to presenting artists whose work transcends cultural boundaries and offers meaningful dialogue between tradition and contemporary thought. Yoo Choong Mok's paintings embody this philosophy beautifully. While rooted in Korean aesthetics and a meditative sensibility, his work also speaks to the language of international contemporary art and modernism. What I particularly admire is that his work invites viewers not only to look, but to slow down, reflect, and experience a moment of stillness. In that sense, Tracing Light is more than an exhibition—it is an invitation to contemplate our relationship with time, memory, and ourselves. As a gallery, we are proud to present artists whose voices are both distinctly personal and universally relevant, and Yoo Choong Mok is an important example of that vision.
Kathleen Cullen: Yoo congratulations on the show. Can you tell us why you chose to work with glass on canvas?
Yoo Choong Mok: The canvas fabric, which is the basis, is the most similar to the skin color of Koreans, so it forms the basis of my work, and glass expresses me. Glass and cloth are physically different, but I think that warmth and coldness can stimulate the visual at the same time, and are the media that can best convey my thoughts and experiences.
CD: Yoo, you describe the philosophy of Tracing Light as the poetic stillness of the droplet. You go on to describe the droplet as a mirror to the soul. Could you provide insight into what this means to you as an artist and what you believe the impact it will have on the viewer?
YCM: Rather than explaining the object, my work reveals the moment when the senses work. At the point where water droplets and glass, light and space, and the movement of the audience overlap, the work appears as a scene. The audience passes through it and slows down for a moment.
KC: The work is said to bridge traditional Korean aesthetics with contemporary Western modernism. What has influenced you in this combination to produce the work in the show? What art references might you have been thinking of while working?
YCM: All of my works have made my identity and directions of my work clearer through experiences abroad. Since I am a Korean, I can express Korean emotions and emotions more through my work than anyone else, and I hope that my work will heal emotionally. Mainly, works are done by thinking of Korean historical artists.
Kathleen Cullen: Glass is always a prism for light. Light is always subject to change depending on the context it is seen in, much like our views of how we see our past and what we hope to see in our future. How do you think context and time have shaped or reshaped your views and the work that you do? Where do you think this will take you in the future?
YCM: It focuses more on the way the entire space becomes one state than on individual works. I am interested in constructing the space to constantly change through the density and margin of water droplets, and the flow of light.
In both American and Korean culture, water symbolizes purification, cleansing, and life balance. This is a course true for many cultures, which is why Yoo Choong Muk's themes are universal.
Interviewed by Kathleen Cullen & Carmine Desena
Carmine DeSena is an accomplished magazine writer and book author and has published more pieces on the art world and its many going ons, both in NYC and internationally.