Internationally acclaimed American contemporary artist Shane Guffogg is currently presenting his solo exhibition Memories of the Future at Gallery Chang in Seoul.
In this exhibition, Guffogg introduces a new body of work inspired by images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. Reflecting on scenes of stars being born and disappearing in the cosmos, the artist explains that he came to the realization that “time is not linear—the past we perceive is, in fact, the present.”
The exhibition invites viewers to awaken to the idea that “we are memory and future at once, coexisting within this luminous present moment.”
As this philosophical reflection is fully embedded in the paintings, viewers encounter yesterday’s traces, today’s shadows, and tomorrow’s radiance simultaneously within a single visual field.
Art critic Victoria Chapman commented on the exhibition, stating, “Guffogg’s canvases are not mere abstractions, but portals of time. If Cubism fragmented viewpoint, Guffogg fragments time itself. Standing before his works, we are invited into a present where dimensions intersect.”
Guffogg gained global attention last year during the Venice Biennale period with an installation encompassing painting, poetry, and music at Palazzo Contarini del Bovolo.
Born in California in 1962, Guffogg has spent more than four decades consistently developing a painterly practice centered on light, time, and perception. While employing traditional oil painting techniques, he builds up dozens of translucent glaze layers, creating surfaces where light appears to accumulate and traces seem to overlap across time. The exhibition runs through October 10 at Gallery Chang, Seoul.
By Lee Joo-sang / SBS News
