Sobin Park's First Solo Exhibition in Japan, "The Birth of Mir," Opens in Shinjuku

Korean-born artist Sobin Park's first solo exhibition in Japan, "The Birth of Mir," opens at Space√K, the underground alternative space of √K Contemporary in Shinjuku, Tokyo, from Saturday, September 12 through Saturday, October 3, 2026.

Sobin Park has built a consistent body of work grounded in East Asian art history and aesthetics, drawing inspiration from the legend of the Silla-era monk Uisang and the woman Seonmyo passed down at Korea's Buseoksa Temple, along with the imagery of the dragon — a subject she explored in her master's thesis on the symbolism and formal qualities of the dragon. Working primarily in pencil drawing, she creates dynamic yet delicate mythical worlds, and has held solo exhibitions across South Korea as well as in China, the United States, Italy, Greece, and elsewhere, exhibiting at museums and public institutions including the Gwangju City Museum of Art, Spazio SV in Venice, and the Tenri Cultural Institute in New York. In 2014, she received the 20th Gwangju Art Award, and she has also served as an international professor at Hebei Academy of Fine Arts in China, engaging energetically in both creative and educational activity. Her works are held in the collections of institutions including the Gwangju City Museum of Art and the Consulate General of China in Gwangju.

This first solo exhibition in Japan will comprehensively present Sobin Park's body of work, adding new pieces to several of her large-scale works.

The exhibition title "The Birth of Mir" takes its name from the archaic Korean word "미르 (mir)," meaning "dragon." It represents both the dragon that has long been a central theme in Sobin Park's work, and the story of Seonmyo, who threw herself into the sea and became a dragon to protect Uisang. The exhibition presents the mythical world Sobin Park brings to life through her dynamic pencil drawings.

An opening reception will also be held on the first day, September 12, starting at 5:00 PM. Sobin Park will be in attendance, so visitors are welcome to come by.

Artist: Sobin Park (b. 1971)

Sobin Park Profile Image

Born in Gwangju, South Korea. Sobin Park earned a bachelor's degree in fine art from Mokpo National University and a master's degree in fine art from Chosun University. Since her first solo exhibition in 1993, she has consistently focused on drawing and built an international career as an artist. She has held solo exhibitions in Gwangju, Seoul, Thessaloniki, New York, and other cities, as well as participating in numerous group exhibitions. In 2009, she received the Young Artist Award from the Gwangju City Museum of Art. She has taken part in multiple residency programs, including Gwangju's Young Artist Residency Program, the Gwangju City Museum of Art's Force Gallery Residency (Beijing), Bushwick Open Studio in Brooklyn, and the Vermont Studio Center. Her solo exhibition at the Chelsea Art Museum (2009, New York) was reviewed in publications including Art News and Art in America. Notable solo exhibitions include those at Today Art Museum (2017, Beijing), Sanhe Classic Car Museum Art Space (2019, Chengdu), Laboratorium-Venezia (2019, Venice), and Elga Wimmer PCC (2020, New York).

Public Collections: Shangyi Art Museum, Hangzhou, China / Sanhe Classic Car Museum, Chang Du, China / Museum of Contemporary Art Crete, Greece / Gwangju City Museum of Art, Gwangju, South Korea / Mokpo National University Museum, Mokpo, South Korea / The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, South Korea / Gwangju City Museum of Art, Gwangju, South Korea