Seonna Hong Presents MURMURATIONS @ Hashimoto Contemporary in New York

Seonna Hong, Super Position, 2023. All images courtesy of Hashimoto Contemporary.

On June 10, Hashimoto Gallery is set to present Murmurations, a solo exhibition by Los Angeles-based artist Seonna Hong.

In her latest body of work, Hong revisits larger figurative themes, relational dynamics and human connection. Looking to these themes as a way of understanding how people are emerging from the pandemic, Hong seeks to reconnect with the world around her.

Seonna Hong, Early to The Party, 2023. All images courtesy of Hashimoto Contemporary.

Seonna Hong, People Person, 2023. All images courtesy of Hashimoto Contemporary.

Finding inspiration in murmurations (defined both as the way in which birds flock together, as well as the utterance of low continuous sounds) and its two distinct meanings, the artist is searching to find ways to connect and communicate. Through this journey, Hong came to understand that human connection is needed not only for contentment, but also for mental and physical well-being. The paintings in Murmurations reflect Hong’s attempt to connect with forgotten landscapes, encouraging us to rediscover the world around us.

Murmurations is on view through July 1 @ Hashimoto Contemporary, 54 Ludlow Street New York

Seonna Hong, Memory Catalog, 2023. All images courtesy of Hashimoto Contemporary.

Seonna Hong, A Warm Storm, 2023. All images courtesy of Hashimoto Contemporary.

Seonna Hong, Murmurations, 2023. All images courtesy of Hashimoto Contemporary.

Kristen Sanders' "Protoself" @ Asya Geisberg Gallery

Kristen Sanders, One in the Other, 2020. All images courtesy of Asya Geisberg Gallery.

For Protoself, Kristen Sanders asks the question: Where does the self-start or end, and are the traces/fragments left behind a part of self? Bringing together imagery such as marks left in fossils and bodies formed by medical mannequin skins, Sander’s uncanny paintings flatten time and explore the negative space between the physical body and one's environment where the self is formed. 

As the show’s title suggests, Sanders points her inquiry into the crux of what makes us human; imagining a moment of first consciousness of a hypothetical early human ancestor. Since 2015 her work has been circling between the extreme past of hominids millions of years ago – and the increasingly closer future of robots with super-human powers and artificial intelligence. Sanders’ fascination lies within the threshold of self-invention, distinguishing the human from both the animal and the animatronic. In considering the former, her work posits that behavioral aspects such as making a mark, or the first non-utilitarian artwork, should be valorized before corporeal evolution. By considering these defining moments for the pre-human, we can then reframe the post-human, negotiating our current unease with AI and its possible outpacing of the human body – arriving at a post-body consciousness.

Protoself is on view through July 8 at Asya Geisberg Gallery, 537B West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011

Kristen Sanders, Morning Tide, 2023. All images courtesy of Asya Geisberg Gallery.

Kristen Sanders, Middle Paleo, 2022. All images courtesy of Asya Geisberg Gallery.

Kristen Sanders, Strange Presence, 2022. All images courtesy of Asya Geisberg Gallery.

Kristen Sanders, In the Negative Spaces, 2023. All images courtesy of Asya Geisberg Gallery.

Kristen Sanders, Shell/Tool, 2023. All images courtesy of Asya Geisberg Gallery.

Destiny Haven Trujillo's "Devoraste" @ DIMIN

Destiny Haven Trujillo, Daddy’s Little Girl Ain’t A Girl No More, 2023. All images courtesy of DIMIN.

Devoraste—opening to the public on June 1—is a neon diary of the vivid exploits of Destiny Haven Trujillo. For her first solo exhibition in New York, Trujillo embodies the manic charm of her daily life, offering a voyeuristic glimpse into the contemporary vie boheme. The title of the show, “Devoraste,” is derived from the Spanish aphorism meant to convey the concept of unabashed queer self-expression, with the literal translation “you ate that!” For Trujillo, Devoraste references the celebration of pride she conveys in her paintings—colorful bacchanals teeming with joy.

At its core, the work addresses sexual identity and fluidity. The acceptance she has found in the queer community is tantamount in importance to the artist personally as it is to her artistic concept. Approachability is one of the major goals of Trujillo’s canvases—her goal is to welcome the broadest audience possible.

Devoraste is on view through July 7 at DIMIN, 406 Broadway, Fl. 2, New York,

Destiny Haven Trujillo, Not Growing Up, We’re Burning Out, 2022. All images courtesy of DIMIN.

Destiny Haven Trujillo, Three’s Company, 2022. All images courtesy of DIMIN.

Destiny Haven Trujillo, Anthrax (Persistence of Time), 2023. All images courtesy of DIMIN.

Destiny Haven Trujillo, Untitled (Room), 2021. All images courtesy of DIMIN.