AHL Foundation Inc. has revealed the artists selected for Space Uptown 2024, co-curated by Savona Bailey-McClain, Executive Director & Chief Curator of the West Harlem Art Fund, and Jiyoung Lee, Programs Director of the AHL Foundation.
Ara Ko, Carlos Mateu, Bishop McIndoe, Kai Oh, and Kejoo Park are the artists featured in this year’s exhibition. Supported by Manna’s Exhibition Grant, Space Uptown has showcased Korean and New York City artists since 2022 for cross-cultural exchanges.
The exhibition “Fantasy in Abstraction” features artists who fluidly express their inner worlds and imaginations in abstract realms.
The show contrasts with what we might consider as fantasy. There are no otherworldly symbols or mythological creatures as subjects. Instead, there is a great use of emotions and nature in these narratives, as well as a quest for new identities. There is also a wide variety of colors, from dark tones to whimsical and bright hues.
The AHL Foundation, Inc., 501(c)(3) not-for-profit arts organization established in 2003, supports artists of Korean heritage working in the United States and promotes exposure of their work in today’s highly competitive contemporary art world. Their mission is to seek, identify, and promote talented Korean and Korean-American artists active in the United States; provide the artists with a platform and resources to further develop their talents; and host educational, cultural, and artistic events to build wider public awareness of contemporary artists of Korean heritage.
Savona Bailey-McClain, Executive Director of the West Harlem Art Fund and guest curator of this exhibition, states, “The arts in Harlem are moving forward with bold collaborations and partnerships that invite New Yorkers to revisit our past but also feel excited about our new visions.”
“Fantasy in Abstraction” opens with a reception on Thursday, March 28, 2024, at 5 pm and runs through April 26, 2024. The gallery address is 2605 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10030 at the corner of 139th Street. Public hours are Wednesday through Saturday from 12 pm to 6 pm.
