Downtown Los Angeles’ Corey Helford Gallery (CHG) is proud to announce its next major solo show with the return of Soey Milk. The Los Angeles-based, Korea-born figurative artist will premiere her fourth solo show at the gallery, titled Lianas, on Saturday, August 10th in the Main Gallery.

In the delicate dance between tradition and metamorphosis, the tendrils of Milk’s visual narrative intertwine like sinuous vines of lianas, reaching back to the fertile soil of heritage while embracing the vibrant hues of contemporary expression. Like tendrils seeking perches on ancient trees, Milk draws sustenance from the rich tapestry of cultural history, weaving its threads into the fabric of her own. With each brushstroke, she strives to ascend toward greater understanding, guided by the wisdom of the past and inspired by the beauty of the present moment.

In her upcoming solo exhibition Lianas, visitors are invited to wander through this verdant labyrinth of tradition and growth, where the roots of Milk’s creative lineage entwine with the blossoms of modern expression. Describing her new piece Hwajodo: silk and down, Milk shares: “Viridian as an underpainting hue provides peeks and gradations of fresh green throughout this painting. What I do in the beginning stage of my work are gifts I can give to my future self, like splurges of rich color or intense brushwork that push me to make adventurous decisions”.

In their interview feature to promote her 2018 solo exhibition at CHG, 2018's Inflorescence, WOW X WOW described Milk’s work as “The figurative paintings of Soey Milk combine the raw power and confidence of her bold brushwork with the profound intimacy she infuses into the rendering of her stunning protagonists. A master at making opposites sing together in harmony, Milk interweaves realism with abstraction, innocence with maturity, sweetness with devilishness, to create beautifully intelligent imagery, offering multi-layered dimensions of not only an aesthetic nature, but on an emotional level also. Her often large-scale works serve as a means for Milk to process meaningful life events, discoveries and emotions, and upon each works completion, her library of mark making becomes a library of thoughts and feelings, a diary if you will, only one which has the ability to speak to us in ways where mere words would fall short”.

About Soey Milk

Born in 1989 in Seoul, Korea, Milk moved to Los Angeles at age 11. She earned her BFA from The Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA. Milk’s early path was leading her to become a ballerina, but after she was first introduced to painting, she forthwith found a new passion to pursue. Some of the ballet dimensions remained, as she was still strongly drawn to human anatomy, which was a cornerstone for the development of her painterly pursuits.

A versatile artist, Milk works primarily with oils and watercolors to create an outstanding narrative universe that is at once tender and strange. Characterized by the high level of meticulousness, attentiveness to details, and powerful combinations of colors and shapes, her work evokes a certain level of sensibility and mysteriousness, floating between realism and abstraction. The porcelain faces of her often-nude muses reveal an interior less innocent and pure than we are led to believe at first glance.

Milk's work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, in addition to being featured in Juxtapoz, Beautiful bizarre magazine, American art collector, Hi-Fructose, and on multiple online platforms. In 2017, she was commissioned by John Mayer to create the cover and sleeve art to his album The search for everything. Milk lives and works in Los Angeles.