Miae Ham
Exhibition When Space Becomes Lines, from June 2nd to 30th, 2026
Opening on June 11, 2026, between 17:30 to 20:30. RSVP
Miae Ham's artistic practice is deeply rooted in matter, memory, and gesture. Here, paper is not simply a support: it becomes skin, trace, scar, territory of erosion, revealer of light and temporality.
Through her installations and assemblages, Miae Ham develops a visual language where tears, superimpositions, exposed fibers and gestural lines establish a constant tension between fragility and resistance, destruction and reconstruction.
The interplay between chalky whites, deep blacks, and organic hues creates an almost earthy atmosphere, as if the material had been shaped by the slow forces of nature. Light plays a crucial role: it continually transforms the work, revealing textures, reliefs, and transparencies as the hours pass.
Miae Ham is a Korean-Canadian artist known for her mixed-media paintings and installations, whose subjects range from abstraction and floral motifs to landscapes. Originally from Chuncheon, Korea, Miae has also lived and worked in Seoul, Singapore, Vancouver, and Montreal, where she currently resides.
The inspirations that nourish Miae's painting are rooted in the deconstruction of divisions and the transcendence of borders. The concept of East-West duality has accompanied her throughout her life, from her beginnings in "Western painting" at Seoul National University to her current identity as a Korean artist in Canada, residing on the other side of the globe from the country where she spent the first forty years of her life.
Artistic approach
“Miae Ham’s ultimate quest as an artist is the unification of all dualistic elements—that is, her work carries within it the sincere idea of approaching Eastern ideology and emotions through Western artistic forms, as well as the desire to graft two worlds together and discover shared spiritual values.” — M. Han, curator, Chongro Gallery (Seoul)
Rather than perceiving the binary dimensions of her identity as incongruous or irreconcilable, Miae chooses to seek ways to unify this dualism in harmony. Whether by blending traditional Korean ink with oils and acrylics, layering typically Korean materials like Sambe and Hanji onto her canvases, or creating translucent, double-sided paintings where light acts as a unifying force transcending the boundary between the two sides of the same surface, Miae seeks to combine her Korean and Canadian experiences to create art that embodies her unique journey while offering a welcoming space to which all hearts can connect.
Artistic statement by Miae Ham
Works by Miae Ham Available at the Gallery During the Exhibition
