Artemis: Vision of the Universe by Seongmin Yoo
Painting July 29 2026
Intro
A work exploring imagined worlds, cosmic landscapes, and the emotional space between wonder and displacement.
Artemis: Vision of the Universe
Seongmin Yoo’s paints portals to future worlds
Interpretation(Clip)
Employing imagination to build empathy in an entirely new universe
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?
In constant conversation with one another, Pulses of Experience tells the story of post-displacement, serving as a window into a universally visceral experience, while Artemis: Visions of the Universe is perhaps Yoo’s attempt at finding a solution to that tension. How do we perceive those different from us, and how can we adjust these perceptions with compassion and grace? Through her work, Seongmin Yoo builds vessels to tell stories of our past and hopeful premonitions of our future, a world in which any being can come to understand another.
Read the full EDITORIAL here.