sonmat: Hand Taste

Sonmat (손맛) is a Korean term that translates to "hand taste," specifically the irreplicable quality infused by individual cooks into their food. While the word praises one's excellent culinary abilities, it draws our attention to the significance of the individual's touch, labor, and care. It emphasizes that care is more profound than just a gesture, as it encompasses an intimate exchange of trust and serves as a means of authentic self-expression shaped by one's upbringing and cultural milieu.

This exhibition presents the 'hand taste' of seven international artists, as they explore various forms of care spanning from intimate and sensory experiences to the realm of technology, encompassing diverse aspects of familial bonds, gender dynamics, and the intricate web of relationships that define our lives. The two gallery spaces are transformed into a home where each artwork materializes as distinct domestic spaces from a bedroom to a bathroom, a kitchen, and living room.

Included Artists:

Young Joo Lee, Ahree Lee, Lauren McCarthy in collaboration with David Leonard, Liz Nurenberg, Yoshie Sakai, Hannah Kim Varamini. 

About the Curator:

DAHN GIM was born in South Korea, raised in Canada, and is currently based in Los Angeles and Minneapolis. After completing her MFA in Media Arts from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), she has been exhibiting both nationally and internationally including venues such as Somerset House, UK; ifa-laboratory, BE; Post Territory Ujeongguk, Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), Seoul; Rabindranath Tagore Centre, India; The State University of New York (SUNY) campuses, Hammer Museum, Steve Turner Gallery, AA|LA, Human Resources, Barnsdall Art Gallery, US; and international art festivals including Currents New Media, Santa Fe; SPRING/BREAK Art Show, Other Places Art Fair, Angels Gate Cultural Center, Now Instant Image Hall and LA Art Book Fair at The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, US; Art Souterrain Montreal, Canada; and Now Play This in London, UK. Gim received 2017 Curator’s Lab Award, 2018 Kala Art Institute Fellow, 2016 International Emerging Artist Award (IEAA), 2013 UCIRA Grant University of California Award and many other artist residency grants. Gim is currently an artist-in-residence at Second Shift Studio, St. Paul and an assistant Professor in the Art & Design Department at Augsburg University, Minneapolis.

Gallery Hours:

Sundays: 1-4pm