Korean artist Mikyung Kim crafts tranquil paintings with painstaking care. Each canvas is composed of multiple layers of acrylic paint, each sanded by hand, softening the tone, texture and brush strokes to create a subtle, vibrating surface. The majority of her canvases involve around 20 or 30 layers, and sometimes as many as 60 to 70. They often begin with a dark, earthy tone, before progressing to lighter hues. “It is like building a structure on a two-dimensional surface: I start with the earth, and move towards the sky,” says Kim. “The process itself involves a great deal of anticipation until something finally emerges that can be shared. It is a quiet but intense meeting between my self and the surface of the canvas. The accumulation of numerous small gestures allows me to experience a new world and feel uplifted.”

Nancy Kwon creates ceramics, textiles and works in glass that are rooted in tradition and ritual. From ancient Korean stoneware and hemp burial gowns, to Etruscan votive offerings and Neolithic petroglyphs, her pieces are informed by a long tradition of ceremonial objects created from organic materials. “My process often begins with extensive research into historic artefacts,” she says. “Part of that is to do with my Korean heritage; my practice has allowed me to learn more about the history behind the objects and rituals I grew up with. But I’m also interested in how different parts of the world became fixated with similar things, like Neolithic petroglyphs. I want to play a part in the creation of these objects, and become a part of that history. It helps me to look at myself from a distance – myself beyond my life in this body.”

Painted largely during the transition from winter to spring, this body of work by Liam Stevens draws from the emerging palettes of fresh colour found within the spaces where he lives. “The periodical shifts in nature’s tone and luminance through the year are a discernible reminder of continuous change for me,” he says. “The virgin leaves of a tree, or the crisp hue of an early morning sky, can bring a sense of optimism and renewed vigour.” At a time when we have perhaps been living a more insular life, he intends these works to affirm brighter experiences ahead.

Chris Liljenberg Halstrøm is a textile artist who lives and works between Copenhagen and the woods of Småland in Sweden. On close inspection, the surfaces of her delicate hand-embroidered pieces are subtly textured and rhythmic, and are often composed in monochrome or two-tone to draw attention to this quality. “Large monochrome surfaces allow the eye to notice the unevenness of the thread and the weave, creating a flickering effect across each stitch,” says Halstrøm. “Throughout the process of making, I see patterns form, only for them to disappear and be replaced with others as more of the work is completed.”

Memorial Field is an installation by Yoona Hur at Stroll Garden in Los Angeles, dedicated to the deaths caused by Covid-19. As of February 2021, there have been over 2 million deaths worldwide, with 500,000 in the US, and over 20,000 in Los Angeles County.

Francis Gallery is pleased to announce that Yoona Hur and Mari-Ruth Oda are showing works in Folds at Tristan Hoare, London.

John Zabawa has created a playlist to accompany his solo show, Gateways, at Francis Gallery, Bath.

We are pleased to announce the representation of Los Angeles-based artist John Zabawa. His solo exhibition at Francis Gallery – his first in the UK – will launch digitally next month.

This series by Romy Northover is the result of a personal journey, making and interacting with an everyday object, and investigating the refractive, reflective and transmissive properties of glass. By slightly amplifying the objects’ proportions, Northover subtly alters what is perceived and felt, offering the possibility to experience something familiar with greater nuance and refinement.

In support of the publication of JB Blunk, the first monograph dedicated to the life and work of the artist, Francis Gallery is launching a sale of 10 one-off prints to be sold in tandem with the book, with all proceeds going to the JB Blunk Estate. The prints are exclusive to Francis Gallery, and present a selection of archival images from the monograph. The series is printed on washi paper, in recognition of the artist’s relationship with Japan, where he studied under Bizen ware master Toyo Kaneshige. The delicate, slightly translucent paper serves to enhance the elemental beauty of Blunk’s sculptures.