Yoo builds vessels to tell stories of our present and hopeful premonitions of our future

Yoo Cover
Artist: Seongmin Yoo

Cover: Get Ready to Disembark by Seongmin Yoo

Savannah Anno wrote(Clip):

Across Yoo’s body of work, each alien is unique: some appear to be melting, others appear on the canvas like colorful, sewn together puff balls. Adorned with tentacles, webbed feet, missing teeth, and cyclops-like eyes, the magic of Yoo’s work lies in building a sense of aliveness where there should not be. While it may seem likely for viewers to sit with these works in the same playful way they’re presented, the stillness of the landscapes surrounding them and the expressive life found in their gestures spurs a unique sense of empathy and affection for these aliens. In her visions, Yoo poses an important question:

If we are able to celebrate the uniqueness of these small beings, to marvel at their bodies and lives and languages which are wholly different from our own, why can we not apply this openness to other people?