Downtown Los Angeles’ Corey Helford Gallery (CHG) is proud to announce its next major solo show. Visions of the universe, featuring new works from South Korea-born/Davis, CA-based artist Seongmin Yoo, is set to premiere February 1st in Gallery 2.

The surreal works featured in Visions of the universe, Yoo’s debut solo show at CHG, imagine the future of humanity and extraterrestrial life, blending the unknown with a deeply human touch. Drawing comparisons to surrealists like Yves Tanguy and Leonora Carrington, Yoo paints dreamlike landscapes filled with alien flora, fauna, and celestial cities. Her mastery of color—particularly purples, pinks, yellows, and blues—creates vibrant, otherworldly compositions that resonate with emotional depth.

The fascinating figures in Yoo’s upcoming show appear neither fully human nor entirely alien. They seem as if they have been buried for decades, unearthed by archaeologists, and found to be something otherworldly. Their forms evoke the oceanic—reminiscent of ethnographic sculptures from the Pacific Islands—while also feeling distinctly alien. The evolution of these figures into Yoo’s paintings is striking: they are organic and alive, upright with legs—some bird-like—yet undeniably strange. The plant life incorporated into the works is equally foreign, appearing as if from another planet, with textures and forms unfamiliar to Earth. Humans are compellingly absent, replaced by signs of life—dwellings, creatures, and plants. Spirit planet is particularly intriguing, with alien figures whose heads resemble planets, evoking the monumental canyons and spiral formations of Utah. There’s an overarching organic quality to the work that makes it feel alive. Even the alien forms—bug-like or plant-like, upright figures with legs and arms—carry traces of human attributes, blending the familiar and the otherworldly.

Yoo shares, “My art is centered on storytelling. Each painting I create unfolds as a narrative, inviting you to interpret and immerse yourself in its world. I aim to create spaces—both literal and figurative—where you can step into my vision and connect on a deeply personal level. Through my work, I strive to evoke a sense of shared dreaming. The alien creatures I portray feel familiar, as though they’ve always existed in our collective imagination. Even though they’re otherworldly, these beings possess deeply human qualities that prompt reflections on our future as a species. I aspire to be a futurist, envisioning our journey to new planets and the transformation of space into a place for living. What drives me is the exploration of these speculative frontiers and their potential to reshape our understanding of life”.

Seongmin Yoo, a painter with over 25 years of experience in ink wash painting, has established herself as a vital figure in contemporary art through her groundbreaking works. Holding a Master's in Art Studio from California State University, Sacramento and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of California, Davis, Yoo combines academic rigor with a deeply personal artistic vision.

The South Korea-born/Davis, CA-based artist’s work reflects a visceral and timely engagement with issues of identity, activism, and global solidarity. Yoo’s involvement in shows like Artists for amnesty and Power of empathy underscores her commitment to anti-war and social justice causes. Similarly, the artist’s participation in the Women's eco artist dialogue in San Francisco further emphasizes her dedication to creating art with a purpose. Yoo’s celestial paintings evoke the surrealist tradition, particularly Tanguy’s Light and loneliness (1942), while her narrative-driven works echo Carrington's alchemical and mystical themes. Through her integration of performance, painting, and installation, Yoo creates immersive works that challenge boundaries and celebrate the power of imagination. Her process-driven approach underscores the importance of creativity as a means of exploring both personal and universal questions.