Bio
Soo Hong is a visual artist working primarily in abstract painting. She has lived and exhibited in London, Shanghai, her native South Korea, and now the United States. These diverse experiences have shaped her observational practice, influenced by various cultural norms and expectations. Her dreamlike landscapes and fluid brushstrokes convey emotions such as excitement, loneliness, and longing, inspired by unsettling conditions. Through her paintings, she opens a portal to a new reality. A reality that is both alien and intimate, where she invites us to step in, to explore, to lose ourselves, and to see what unfolds in the unknown.
Soo earned an MA in Communication Design, from Central Saint Martin’s College of Art & Design, London, UK. Also a BA in Furniture & Product Design, Hongik University, Korea. She has also studied Interior Design at the Maryland Institute College of Art & Design, Baltimore, MD.
Soo has had several exhibitions in Seattle and Internationally, and has received awards from D&AD (London), GAP, The Bellevue Arts Program, and was a finalist for the Neddy Award.Commissioned work includes projects for Google, Meta, Nike, MTV, and SEATAC International Airport. Soo currently lives and works in greater Seattle.
Photo by James Arzente
CV
Born in Seoul, Korea
Lives and works in the Greater Seattle area
Education
2003 MA Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design, London, UK
2001 BA Hong-Ik University, Korea
1998-99 Maryland Institute College of Art & Design, Baltimore, MD
Solo Exhibitions
2025 SOO HONG, NYB gallery, Kirkland, WA
2024 LOOK at this, LOOK at that, Chatwin Arts, Seattle, WA
2023 Meditative Desire, Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA
2022 Rain Village, Kirkland Arts Center, Kirkland, WA
Metaplay, AMcE Creative Arts, Seattle, WA
2019 Temporarily Ambiguous, Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA
2018 Unfold, U Concept Gallery, Shanghai, China
2014 Opaque Reflections 窗花, Pantocrátor Gallery, Shanghai, China
Selected Exhibitions
2024 Time Capsule, The Vestibule, Seattle, WA
The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters, Domicile Gallery, Seattle, WA
2023 Forest For The Trees, Rail Spur, Seattle, WA
Scanning the Room, Vashon Center Gallery, Vashon, WA
Impromptu, Linda Hodges Gallery, Seattle, WA
Have You Eaten, Slip Gallery, Seattle, WA
Public Display Art Gallery, Seattle, WA 2021
Local Sightseeing, North Film Forum, Seattle, WA
ACES, ARTS at King Street Station, Seattle, WA
2020 Art Abides, Kirkland Arts Center, Kirkland, WA
Visual Impressions, Ryan James Gallery, Seattle, WA
Storefronts Westlake, Macy’s, Shunpike, Seattle, WA
ACES, Seattle Center, Seattle, WA
Small Works, Zinc Contemporary, Seattle, WA
2019 Amazon Storefronts, Shunpike, Seattle, WA
21st Century Women, Kirkland Arts Center, WA
2015 Past Time/Error, Minsheng Art Museum, Shanghai, China
2013 4 Kitties, Hello Kitty Island Museum, Jeju Island, Korea
2009 Trouble Maker by Miller, Platoon Kunsthalle, Seoul, Korea
2006 Born from Obsession by Nike, Triad Gallery, Seoul. Korea
Puma Art, by Puma, COEX, Seoul, Korea
2005 K-Spray by KSWISS, Won Gallery, Seoul. Korea
Awards & Grants
2022 Neddy Artist Award (Painting Finalist), Seattle, WA
2020 Bellevue Arts Grants 2021, Bellevue, WA
Artist Relief Program, MadArt, Seattle, WA
2019 Grants for Artist Project, ArtistTrust, Seattle, WA
2007 24hr MINI, Resfest , The Drama Center, Seoul, Korea
2002 Emerge and See (Film), Curzon Soho, London, UK
Wood pencil (Photography), D&AD award, London, UK
Selected Commissions, Collections & Public Art
2024 In Play, Redmond Downtown Park, Redmond, WA
Future Alchemy, Google, Kirkland, WA
Soundtrack series, Port of Seattle, Sea-Tac Airport, Tacoma, WA
2022 Cube Chapel, JW Architects, Seattle, WA
Play Marble, Forest for The Trees, Seattle, WA
Lockdown Vista, Seattle Restored, Westlake, Seattle, WA
2021 Sonic Buzz, The Vera Project, Seattle, WA
See Through, Meta, Bellevue, WA
Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, Public Art, Seattle, WA
Regional Arts & Culture Council, Public Art Collection, Portland, OR
Rain Village, City of Bellevue Special Project, Bellevue, WA
2020 Redmond Lights Public art, City of Redmond, Redmond, WA
City of Bellevue Portable Art, Bellevue, WA
Port of Seattle Public Art, Tacoma Airport, Seattle, WA
Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA
Rain Village, Blakely Hall, Issaquah, WA
Rain Village, Pigott Family Arts Center, Lakeside School, Seattle, WA
2018 Eyes Closed, Concordia International School of Shanghai, Shanghai, China
2016 Connected, Brew and Blend Festival, M50, Shanghai, China
2013 4 Kitties, Hello Kitty Island Museum, Jeju Island, Korea
2004 Nike Women Asia Campaign, W+K Advertising. Asia
2005 Resfest Digital film festival, The Drama Center, Seoul. Korea
Residencies
2024 Google Air, Kirkland, WA
2021 Meta Open Arts, Bellevue, WA
2019 Lakeside Upper School, Seattle, WA
2014 Pantocrátor Gallery, Shanghai, China
Press
ARTS : Soo Hong’s abstract pastel, deep-hued paintings offer hope for a new season - International Examiner Feb 6, 2025
Most anticipated Seattle exhibits of 2024 - The Seattle Times, Jan, 2024
6 colorful Seattle art shows for spring - The Seattle Times, March 29, 2023
Pianos in The Parks returns with two instruments at Issaquah Highlands -The Seattle Times, Aug 29, 2021
ArtSEA: In Kirkland, a shower of artful raindrops - Crosscut June 9, 2022
ArtSEA: A new dreamer splashes down in South Lake Union - Crosscut March 31, 2022