Video
Biography

KOO Jiyoon’s (b.1982) works embody the time that passes in the city, depicting the condensed psychological landscape, which reflects on the ever-changing characteristics of urban chronology. The artist identifies the city and its buildings as biological organisms belonging to the structural concept of time. The artist, who observes and personifies the crumbling old buildings in and around Seoul, realizes the tragic fate of these buildings that will one day remain only as a distant memory, disappearing in the brutal order of the city, maintained by the constant cycle of destruction and creation. Therefore, the constant change of emotions, which mirrors the fluctuating characteristics of the city, are at the heart of KOO Jiyoon’s work. The artist captures the city’s desires and memories while reflecting on time and combines them into a psychological landscape where visual elements, such as colors and lines, mingle within the boundaries of the canvas. In particular, the unique and subtle aesthetic of KOO Jiyoon’s works arises from the coexistence of contrast between the new and the old, between the brushstrokes that are sharp and rough in places and thick and soft in others, and between the mixture of cloudy and vivid colors, providing yet another focal point in the abstract paintings.

 

KOO Jiyoon was born in Daegu, Korea, in 1982. She received her BFA in Fine Art from Korea National University of Arts in 2006 and from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 2007, and earned her MFA in Studio Art from New York University in 2010. She has held solo exhibitions at ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL (Seoul, Korea, 2025; 2021), Gallery Purple (Namyangju, Korea, 2022), ARARIO MUSEUM in SPACE (Seoul, Korea, 2018), Project Space Sarubia (Seoul, Korea, 2016) and more. She has participated in group exhibitions at Mimesis Art Museum (Paju, Korea, 2024), New Spring Project (Seoul, Korea, 2024), ARARIO GALLERY SEOUL (Seoul, Korea, 2024; 2021), ARARIO GALLERY CHEONAN (Cheonan, Korea, 2021; 2020), Doosan Gallery Seoul (Seoul, Korea, 2019; 2014), Soda Museum, Hwaseong (Korea, 2019), Hite Collection (Seoul, Korea, 2018), Zaha Museum (Seoul, Korea, 2018; 2015), Doosan Gallery New York (New York, US, 2010) and more. Her works are collected by ARARIO MUSEUM, Bank of Korea.

Works
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Moth 나방, 2025
    A Moth 나방, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Scene 장면, 2025
    A Scene 장면, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Scene 장면, 2025
    A Scene 장면, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Tower 타워, 2025
    A Tower 타워, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, An Aged Night 나이 든 밤, 2025
    An Aged Night 나이 든 밤, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2025
    Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2025
    Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2025
    Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Faded Silver 빛바랜 실버, 2025
    Faded Silver 빛바랜 실버, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Floating Images 부유하는 이미지들, 2025
    Floating Images 부유하는 이미지들, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Floating Images 부유하는 이미지들, 2025
    Floating Images 부유하는 이미지들, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Fossil 화석, 2025
    Fossil 화석, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Green Stripes 그린 스트라이프, 2025
    Green Stripes 그린 스트라이프, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Han River 한강, 2025
    Han River 한강, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Here 여기에, 2025
    Here 여기에, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Palm Lines 손금, 2025
    Palm Lines 손금, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Patina 파티나, 2025
    Patina 파티나, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Rusted Skin 녹슨 피부, 2025
    Rusted Skin 녹슨 피부, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, The Wetland 습지, 2025
    The Wetland 습지, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Vintage 빈티지, 2025
    Vintage 빈티지, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Vintage 빈티지, 2025
    Vintage 빈티지, 2025
  • KOO Jiyoon, Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2024
    Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2024
    Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2024
  • Disappearing Things 사라지는 사물, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Fossil 화석, 2024
    Fossil 화석, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Notes Hidden in a Crevice in a Wall 벽 틈새에 숨겨진 메모, 2024
    Notes Hidden in a Crevice in a Wall 벽 틈새에 숨겨진 메모, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Notes Hidden in a Crevice in a Wall 벽 틈새에 숨겨진 메모, 2024
    Notes Hidden in a Crevice in a Wall 벽 틈새에 숨겨진 메모, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Read Along the Cracks 균열을 따라 읽기, 2024
    Read Along the Cracks 균열을 따라 읽기, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Read Along the Cracks 균열을 따라 읽기, 2024
    Read Along the Cracks 균열을 따라 읽기, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Read Along the Cracks 균열을 따라 읽기, 2024
    Read Along the Cracks 균열을 따라 읽기, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Read Along the Cracks 균열을 따라 읽기, 2024
    Read Along the Cracks 균열을 따라 읽기, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Sparkling Sand 반짝이는 모래, 2024
    Sparkling Sand 반짝이는 모래, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Spiderweb 거미줄, 2024
    Spiderweb 거미줄, 2024
  • KOO Jiyoon, Grey to Blue, 2023
    Grey to Blue, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Grey to Green 그레이 투 그린, 2023
    Grey to Green 그레이 투 그린, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Grey to Green 그레이 투 그린, 2023
    Grey to Green 그레이 투 그린, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Grey to Orange, 2023
    Grey to Orange, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Grey to Yellow 그레이 투 옐로우, 2023
    Grey to Yellow 그레이 투 옐로우, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Land of Imagination 상상의 땅, 2023
    Land of Imagination 상상의 땅, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Like the Wind 바람같이, 2023
    Like the Wind 바람같이, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Moss and Friends 이끼와 친구들, 2023
    Moss and Friends 이끼와 친구들, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Notes Hidden in a Crevice in a Wall 벽 틈새에 숨겨진 메모, 2023
    Notes Hidden in a Crevice in a Wall 벽 틈새에 숨겨진 메모, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Pressed Flower 압화, 2023
    Pressed Flower 압화, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Silver 실버, 2023
    Silver 실버, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, Traces on the Spider Web 거미줄 위의 흔적, 2023
    Traces on the Spider Web 거미줄 위의 흔적, 2023
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Cloudy and Bright Day 흐리고 밝은 날, 2022
    A Cloudy and Bright Day 흐리고 밝은 날, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Familiar Landscape 익숙한 풍경, 2022
    A Familiar Landscape 익숙한 풍경, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, Accumulating and Permeating, 2022
    Accumulating and Permeating, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, Bonfire 모닥불, 2022
    Bonfire 모닥불, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, Boredom 지루함, 2022
    Boredom 지루함, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, Dancing Twigs 춤추는 나뭇가지, 2022
    Dancing Twigs 춤추는 나뭇가지, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, Dawn, 2022
    Dawn, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, On the Road 길에서, 2022
    On the Road 길에서, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, Underground Gem 지하 보석, 2022
    Underground Gem 지하 보석, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, Vintage 빈티지, 2022
    Vintage 빈티지, 2022
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Disappearing Place 사라지는 장소, 2021
    A Disappearing Place 사라지는 장소, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Bonfire on the Road, 2021
    Bonfire on the Road, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Dawn, 2021
    Dawn, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Glass & Grass 글래스 앤 그래스, 2021
    Glass & Grass 글래스 앤 그래스, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Neon, 2021
    Neon, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Rusty, 2021
    Rusty, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Senior 시니어, 2021
    Senior 시니어, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Tongue & Nail 혀와 손톱, 2021
    Tongue & Nail 혀와 손톱, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Vintage, 2021
    Vintage, 2021
  • KOO Jiyoon, Drrrrr, 2020
    Drrrrr, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Even at This Moment, 2020
    Even at This Moment, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Good Morning, 2020
    Good Morning, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Good Night, 2020
    Good Night, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Here, 2020
    Here, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Magic Pencil, 2020
    Magic Pencil, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Night Walk 밤산책, 2020
    Night Walk 밤산책, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Past and Future, 2020
    Past and Future, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Sweeping Fallen Leaves, 2020
    Sweeping Fallen Leaves, 2020
  • KOO Jiyoon, Blue Vinyl Curtain, 2019
    Blue Vinyl Curtain, 2019
  • KOO Jiyoon, Face-Scape, 2019
    Face-Scape, 2019
  • KOO Jiyoon, Face-Scape, 2019
    Face-Scape, 2019
  • KOO Jiyoon, Face-Scape 얼굴-풍경, 2019
    Face-Scape 얼굴-풍경, 2019
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Crazy Washer, 2018
    A Crazy Washer, 2018
  • KOO Jiyoon, Blue Light, 2018
    Blue Light, 2018
  • KOO Jiyoon, Cream Blackout Curtains, 2018
    Cream Blackout Curtains, 2018
  • KOO Jiyoon, Drawing on iPhone, 2018
    Drawing on iPhone, 2018
  • KOO Jiyoon, Dust Storm, 2018
    Dust Storm, 2018
  • KOO Jiyoon, Night and Day , 2018
    Night and Day , 2018
  • KOO Jiyoon, Orange Asphalt, 2018
    Orange Asphalt, 2018
  • KOO Jiyoon, Summer, Rain Shower, 2018
    Summer, Rain Shower, 2018
  • KOO Jiyoon, Face-Scape Series, 2017
    Face-Scape Series, 2017
  • KOO Jiyoon, Insomnia, 2017
    Insomnia, 2017
  • KOO Jiyoon, Purple Noise, 2017
    Purple Noise, 2017
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Man with His Chin Propped on His Hand 턱을 괸 사람, 2016
    A Man with His Chin Propped on His Hand 턱을 괸 사람, 2016
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Spectator 구경꾼, 2016
    A Spectator 구경꾼, 2016
  • KOO Jiyoon, Cloudy and Difficult to Understand 탁하고 이해하기 힘든 것, 2016
    Cloudy and Difficult to Understand 탁하고 이해하기 힘든 것, 2016
  • KOO Jiyoon, Gum, Earthworms, Dust 껌, 지렁이, 먼지, 2016
    Gum, Earthworms, Dust 껌, 지렁이, 먼지, 2016
  • KOO Jiyoon, Organic Face, 2015
    Organic Face, 2015
  • KOO Jiyoon, Face-Scape 얼굴-풍경, 2014
    Face-Scape 얼굴-풍경, 2014
  • KOO Jiyoon, Golf 골프, 2014
    Golf 골프, 2014
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Filmmaker, 2009
    A Filmmaker, 2009
  • KOO Jiyoon, A Girl 소녀, 2009
    A Girl 소녀, 2009
  • KOO Jiyoon, April 4월, 2009
    April 4월, 2009
  • KOO Jiyoon, Dionysia in Ground Zero 그라운드 제로에서의 축제, 2009
    Dionysia in Ground Zero 그라운드 제로에서의 축제, 2009
  • KOO Jiyoon, Overnight Construction 밤샘 공사, 2009
    Overnight Construction 밤샘 공사, 2009
  • KOO Jiyoon, Trick Mirror 속임수 거울, 2009
    Trick Mirror 속임수 거울, 2009
  • KOO Jiyoon, Trick Mirror 속임수 거울, 2009
    Trick Mirror 속임수 거울, 2009
  • KOO Jiyoon, Useless Emotion 감정소모, 2009
    Useless Emotion 감정소모, 2009
Exhibitions
Press
News