ARA KO

Ara Ko delves deep into her own imaginative state to create forms that represent the relationship between light and form. She bridges the separation between humans and nature to reflect upon and contrast nature’s spontaneity and human deliberation, ultimately revealing a harmonious relationship and coexistence with the environment.

Ko was born in a small rural village in Korea, but received her education in Seoul. Prior to attending Art College, she took time off to travel and to study meditation. When she later moved to the US at 26, Ko was introduced to modern abstract art, a rarity for students in Korea. 

After receiving her MFA from the Maryland Institute of College of Art, Ko began to draw abstract shapes reminiscent of nature using charcoal, all from imagination without references. According to Ko, her background and focus on meditation greatly influenced her developing practice of creating modern, abstract works. Ko now uses charcoal to create oversized, organic, shapes from imagination that reference and remind viewers of the importance of the natural world.