Untitled 1999

This untitled work by Moon Pil Shim is composed of nine painted square panels with different colors and textures. Imagine the artist working on each panel individually, almost like a series of small experiments. I can feel the hand of the artist in the textured surfaces, particularly the deep grooves in the dark red panel on the left, which evoke the feeling of concentric circles of a tree trunk or the feeling of a topographical map. Then you have the panels with horizontal marks, maybe dragged with a tool, suggesting woodgrain or geological strata. Then the grey panel appears almost like a cloud or a shadow, made with fluid, swirly brushstrokes. I like to think about what Moon Pil Shim was pondering during the making of each panel. Were they thinking about nature, landscape, or something else entirely? I think about Agnes Martin, who also explored the grid format with subtle variations of color and texture, creating a meditative and contemplative effect. It’s as if Shim is having a conversation with Martin, through the language of paint. It’s exciting to think about how artists from different backgrounds and generations engage in a dialogue across time.