The McNay to Present the Poetic World of Celebrated South Korean Artist Suki Seokyeong Kang

‘Mountain—Hour—Face’ exhibition features nearly 40 works, including installations making their U.S. debut

SAN ANTONIO — The McNay Art Museum will present “Suki Seokyeong Kang: Mountain—Hour—Face,” the first solo exhibition by a South Korean artist in the museum’s history, from Oct. 30, 2026-Jan. 24, 2027. Featuring nearly 40 works created between 2014 and 2024, the exhibition brings together sculpture, painting, textiles, installation, video and poetry in a sweeping look at Kang’s multidisciplinary practice.

Organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver and adapted for the McNay by Lauren Thompson, curator of exhibitions at the McNay Art Museum, “Mountain—Hour—Face” transforms the galleries into an immersive environment shaped by rhythm, abstraction and the natural world. Inviting contemplation and exploration, these works hang from the ceiling, occupy the floor and walls and shift in response to the movement of visitors.

Among the exhibition’s highlights are two hwamunseok mats making their United States debut. Handwoven from dried plants, these works reference chunaeungmu, a Korean court dance dating to the late 18th century, in which a solitary performer danced upon a small reed mat for the king. Suspended from the ceiling at the McNay, Kang’s woven works transform this traditional material into striking contemporary forms that consider the physical space individuals occupy in relationship to each other.

“One of the most captivating aspects of Suki Seokyeong Kang’s work is the way she draws from Korean traditions of painting, dance and craft to create environments that invite reflection and discovery,” said Thompson. “I hope audiences leave with a deeper appreciation for the beauty of her work and the connections it inspires.”

Kang was a Seoul-based artist whose abstract work draws inspiration from natural forms, seasonal change, music and movement. Kang earned degrees from Ewha Woman’s University in Seoul and the Royal College of Art in London, received the Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel in 2018 and exhibited internationally. She died in 2025 at the age of 47.

Throughout the exhibition, visitors will encounter some of Kang’s most celebrated bodies of work. Delicate aluminum mobiles from her “Mountain — hours” series respond subtly to the movement of air and visitors in the gallery, while poems inspired by the works bring the artist’s voice directly into the exhibition space.

Sculptures from the “Tender Meander” series evoke human figures through abstract forms, creating a quiet sense of presence and personality. The exhibition also includes “Grandmother Tower,” one of several important works on loan from a Dallas-area collection. Visitors move through the exhibition much as they might move through a landscape, discovering shifting perspectives, unexpected encounters and moments of reflection.

“Through Kang’s work, visitors can experience the richness of contemporary Korean art and the power of art to connect people across cultures,” said Matthew McLendon, Ph.D., director and CEO of the McNay Art Museum. “As a sister city to Gwangju, San Antonio has a unique connection to South Korea, making this exhibition especially meaningful for our community.”

Public programming will include an opening celebration featuring live poetry and a special performance activation during the exhibition’s run. The performance will bring dancers into the galleries to follow movements inspired by the art, energizing the space and offering visitors a new way to experience the work.

“Suki Seokyeong Kang: Mountain—Hour—Face” is organized by Miranda Lash, Ellen Bruss chief curator, and Leilani Lynch, curator, for the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver. The McNay’s presentation is overseen by Lauren Thompson, curator of exhibitions at McNay Art Museum. The McNay extends special thanks to Tina Kim Gallery for its generous assistance with the exhibition. Major funding is most generously provided by the Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992.

Images available upon request.

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About the McNay Art Museum
The McNay Art Museum engages a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts. Built in the 1920s by artist and educator Marion Koogler McNay, the Spanish Colonial Revival residence became the site of Texas’ first modern art museum when it opened in 1954. Today, 200,000 visitors a year enjoy works by modern masters including Paul Gauguin, Vincent van Gogh, Edward Hopper, Joan Mitchell, Alice Neel, Georgia O’Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Jackson Pollock and Pierre-Auguste Renoir. The 25 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds include sculptures by Willie Cole, Robert Indiana, Luis A. Jiménez Jr., Alejandro Martín, George Rickey, Joel Shapiro, Kiki Smith, Tom Wesselmann and others. 

For more information about the McNay, visit www.mcnayart.org.

The McNay is open Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sunday from Noon to 5 p.m.