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The Arts Intel Report

Haegue Yang: Arcane Abstractions

Haegue Yang, Frosted Scales Mermaid Queen–Mesmerizing Mesh #218, 2023.

Gobernador Rafael Rebollar 94, San Miguel Chapultepec I Secc, 11850 Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico

Haegue Yang is a South Korean visual artist who explores cultural heritage and the symbolism of ritual. In her second solo exhibition in Mexico City, her pieces are presented alongside the works of local artists who’ve been inspired by the ritual traditions of other cultures, such as Slavic pagan harvest celebrations and Japanese sacred ropes. Yang focuses on paper-cutting techniques from Korea, the Philippines, Poland, and the Mexican indigenous Otomi tribe. Her intention is to highlight the fluidity of culture—the way it merges realms of antiquity and contemporary art. The show is meticulously curated so that it hangs across the axes of the gallery with perfect symmetry. —Lucy Horowitz

Photo: Copyright The Artist, Courtesy of Kurimanzutto