Back February 12, 2026 Around The Paintings "Around the Paintings," was a curated tasting event at Gallery Chang NY that celebrated Korean heritage, art and culture. Centered on the works of artist Cho Yong Ik, his oeuvre was highlighted by thoughtful pairings with curated rice wine from Hana Makgeolli, an artisanal brewery and a selection of small bites from MissKOREA BBQ. It is widely accepted that Cho Yong Ik is one of the most important figures of Korean abstraction, having represented the country at various Biennales and with definitive retrospectives at key institutions, including Olivier Malingue in London, and Edouard Malingue in Hong Kong as well as Han Gallery and Sungkok Gallery in Seoul. A leading figure of the Dansaekhwa movement, a Korean artistic movement of the 1970s, the works of Ik and his contemporaries within the movement wed Eastern philosophy with Western minimalism. Attendees were delighted to learn of the breadth of Ik's work, Gallery Chang's collection spans decades from his collection --including his abstract figures, acrylic dot paintings, and wave series. The pieces vary in size, method and emotive evocation, but they are united in their meditative quality. The essence of Cho Yong Ik's abstract language was translated first by a pairing of Hyunmi Takju, a dry and medium bodied wine with notes of warm chestnut and earth. While sipping, viewers observed the Textural Grey Painting , noting how the subtle variations present in the wine mirrored those in the painting. This was enjoyed with Korean pancakes, buchimgae, which has a visual texture that mirrors the texture of the painting. The following pairing was Ik's Pastel Geometric Abstraction works with Omija Makgeolli, which is medium dry, effervescent with notes of pink peppercorn and citrus. These paintings are more structured than the prior, teasing images of men in period attire, though nothing feels rigid or dominant in these figures --whose faces and hands remain unpainted. As with Ik's other paintings, meaning is not overt and the work operates through balance and restraint. Notably, these paintings make use of the traditional five korean colors "obangsaek," which is why we paired it with the five berry flavor profile of Omija Makgeolli. To balance the wine, the light bite was hwajeon, a korean flower pancake. The soft texture and delicate floral notes of the pancake complemented the oil painting's tonal sensitivity, reinforcing their sense of harmony. Our third pairing was Takju 16, a heavy bodied and near dry wine with floral and fruity notes of melon, green apple and banana and bulgogi salad. The contrast of the flavors of the wine and the beef salad mirrored the contrast in the painting, which was the most colorful work in the collection on display. This moment was the evening's anchor, offering substance and warmth in both flavor and form. Structural Color Field Painting is oil on canvas, created in 1966. The final pairing was Hwaju 12, a light, dry earthy wine with bright lactic acid, paired with Gyeongdan, which are glutinous rice cakes filled with red bean paste. Our dessert was made even sweeter by the sight of Cho Yong Ik's Wave Series , which, like the food and wine pairing, benefit from their restraint. Each "wave" depicted on the surface of the varying canvas represents a repeated flick of Ik's wrist, suggesting technical exertion on the artist's part --and yet observing these works gives the opposite feeling, a sense of calm. To close the evening with these works left attendees in a state of joyful reflection, having had a thoughtful and tasty experience with us here at Gallery Chang. We look forward to the next. -Celestina C Billington, Program & Workshops Coordinator, Gallery Chang Previous Next

Back February 21, 2026 Coffee With The Artist Coffee with the Artist was an intimate Saturday morning event encouraging the public to engage with artist Alison Van Pelt. Taking place February 21st, 2026 from 11AM-1PM at 150 W 55th Street NYC (Gallery Chang NY), attendees enjoyed catered coffee and sweet treats from GoGoJang cafe next door. The event was designed so that visitors could speak with Van Pelt in depth, a rare opportunity of intensive and direct engagement with an artist for the general public. Those who joined us included repeat attendees from the previous Thursday evening’s Opening Reception, as well as new walk-ins from the neighborhood. Dozens of guests came through, many of whom were seeing Van Pelt’s work for the first time. During the visit, gallery owner JunHwan Chang took an iPhone video of Van Pelt in front of her portrait of Chris Cornell of her S’aints series. The portrait, in the left section to the gallery entryway, was dubbed off-camera by Van Pelt and her friends as “the hot guy corner,” with Cornell joined by portraits of David Beckham and Jesus Christ. Van Pelt has a good sense of humor–reflected again in her portraits of Rupert Murdoch and Pete Doherty, which both are accompanied by the phrasing, “I’d Be Loaded,” a play on words referencing Murdoch’s wealth and Doherty’s rockstar cocaine habit. When asked about these pieces, Van Pelt noted the connection and added that Doherty used to date supermodel Kate Moss. The reference to celebrities and the use of celebrity as a type of iconography is woven throughout the exhibition, though not a sole theme. Van Pelt’s work is clearly influenced by Hollywood, which makes sense considering the artist is based in Los Angeles, the U.S. (and world’s) celeb epicenter. As aforementioned, Van Pelt’s themes are not limited to stars. Much of her work includes more obscure references to art history, revealing a deeply intelligent mind: Van Pelt was formally trained in both California and Florence. Her website cites Agnes Martin, Robert Rauschenberg and Yayoi Kusama as key influences. Of Kusama, Van Pelt noted during the event that early in her career, Kusama had written an unsolicited letter to Georgia O’Keeffe, and that the latter artist, far more established at the time, responded. In the ensuing correspondence, one piece of advice from O’Keeffe to Kusama stands out: “show your art to everyone you can.” Gallery Chang is happy to support Alison Van Pelt in such an endeavor. Previous Next

Back January 29, 2026 Janis Art Table 2 Previous Next

THERE’S NOTHING HERE... Back to Homepage

Back April 9, 2025 2025 NYFW SS Previous Next

Back September 5, 2024 2024 NYFW FW Previous Next

Back February 2, 2026 About Cho Yong Ik Previous Next

< Back NYFW SS March 1, 2025 Previous Next

< Back Holiday Toy Drive December 20, 2025 Previous Next

< Back NYFW F/W September 1, 2025 Previous Next