Symphony - OIL PAINTING

Symphony
Oil on linen
38 × 55 cm
2024

Symphony depicts Hyangwonjeong Pavilion, a small hexagonal structure that sits at the center of a lotus pond within the grounds of Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul. The pavilion is one of the most recognizable and beloved architectural features of the palace, and it is a subject I have returned to many times in sketches and paintings.

In this particular composition, the pavilion is framed by vibrant foliage and the distant mountain landscape beyond the palace grounds. The surrounding trees create a natural enclosure around the structure, guiding the viewer’s eye toward the pavilion at the center of the scene.

Rather than strictly following the natural colors of the landscape, I approached this painting with a more expressive palette. The bright pinks, warm yellows, violets, and turquoise tones were chosen intuitively to create a sense of harmony and emotional energy within the composition.

The title Symphony reflects the way the colors interact with one another across the canvas. Each section of foliage carries its own visual “note,” and together they form a vibrant rhythm of color and movement throughout the scene.

Through energetic brushwork and layered color, the trees and landscape begin to feel almost animated—as though the natural elements surrounding the pavilion are moving together in a quiet celebration of place.