In creating her work, sculptor Jae Ko uses unusual materials of adding machine paper and traditional Asian inks. Ko unwinds and reshapes miles of everyday office paper into more alluring forms, and then bathes them in vats of ink and lets them dry out over months. Ko says, “The edges of infinitely long pieces of paper create line drawings which spiral, tighten and loosen depending on how I roll them.” As the paper absorbs takes the ink and dries, it swells and elongates into organic sculptural forms that are guided by the artist’s design. Her seductive work occupies a space between writing and sculpting; a biomorphic form that often looks like a swollen calligraphic mark. Though Ko leaves their interpretation to the viewer, she acknowledges personal references in their gestures. Drawn to traditional Asian family marks and architectural details such as the designs of columns, she also looks inside flowers for inspiration. The outcome – the color, form and texture with a wealth of emotions and allusions – is simply exquisite.

 

BACKGROUND & EDUCATION

 

1998   MFA, Maryland Institute College of Art, MD

1988   BFA, Wako University, Tokyo, Japan

1984   BA, Toyo Art School, Tokyo, Japan

 

SELECTED COLLECTIONS

 

Hirshorn Museum & Sculpture Garden

 

Washington Corcoran Museum of Art

 

Washington DC Convention Center 

 

Wilson Building, Washington DC

 

Agnes Scott College

 

Arlington Cultural Affairs

 

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS

 

2015   “Jae Ko: Selections,” Grounds for Sculpture, Hamilton, New Jersey

2014   “Jae Ko: Force of Nature,” Robischon Gallery, Dever, Colorado

2014   “Speculative Forms,” Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Washington, DC

2014   "Jae Ko: Recent Sculpture and Drawings",  Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Washington, DC

2012   “Rolling II” Andrew Bae Gallery, Chicago

            "Jae Ko: Recent Sculpture",  Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Washington, DC

2010   “Force Of Nature” The Phillips Collection

2009   “Rolling”, Andrew Bae Gallery, Chicago

            Lausberg Contemporary, Toronto, Canada

2008   Dick Graaff Fine Art, Antwerp, Belgium America Univ. Museum, Washington DC

2007   Galerie De Rijk, Den Haag, Netherlands

            Galerie Lausberg, Toronto, Canada

            Robischon Gal Center, Washington DC

2006   Galerie De Rijk, Dan Haag Netherlands Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Washington DC

2005   Ludwig Museum, Koblenz, Germany “Aggregation”, Andrew Bae Gallery, Chicago

2004   Galerie Lausberg, Dusseldorf, Germany Auden Galerie, Hamburg, Germany

            Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO

            Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Washington, DC

            Robischon Gallery, Charlottesville, VA

2003   Peobody Essex Museum, Boston, MA Second Street Gallery, Charlottesville, VA

2002   Marsha Mateyka, Washington DC Kiang Gallery, Atlanta, GA

2001   Robischon Gallery, Denver, CO Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Washington, DC

            The Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art, CT

            John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI

2000   Braunstein/Quay Gallery, San Francisco, CA

            Kiang Gallery, Atlanta, GA

            Marsha Mateyka Gallery, Washington, DC

1998   Maryland Institute College of Art, Baltimore, MD

1987   Gallery Sora, Tokyo, Japan Gallery Q, Tokyo Japan