Interview | London-Based Artist Jiwon Cha

Jiwon Cha lives and works in London. She earned her BFA in Painting from RISD and her MA in Painting from the Royal College of Art. She has recently had a solo presentation at The Armory Show in New York with Baert Gallery (2025) and her recent exhibition includes Birth of the Between: The Infinite Interchange, Latitude Gallery, New York (2025), The Torrent and the Fold, LBF Contemporary, London (2025), A Journey into the Unknown, Haricot Gallery, London (2025). She had her first solo exhibition An Eternity From Now, in Baert Gallery, Los Angeles (2024).

Cha’s painting focuses on re-articulating the sublime in the 21st century. This re-articulation concentrates on what evokes the feeling of sublimity and finds a way to process these complex emotions of uncertainties that hold a place both in our personal lives and in a bigger construction of society. Emphasizing the circumstances of “unknown” and of “loss of control”, her paintings are dedicated to capturing the contradicting feelings of hope and despair, constantly questioning the existence of fate.

He hopes for an eternity from now, 2024, Oil on canvas, 200 x 300 cm

Can you tell us about your background and how you started your artistic journey?

I was born in South Korea to parents who were both active in the art world—both as artists and art professors. From a young age, I loved to draw and paint, but it wasn’t until high school that I began to seriously consider painting as a professional path. Before then, I had been pursuing a career in classical music, attending Yewon Art Middle School as a violinist. My formal education in painting began during my undergraduate studies at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD) in USA. After completing my degree, I went on to earn a Master’s in Painting from the Royal College of Art (RCA) in London. Since graduating in 2023, I have been living and working in London.

Forsythia, 2025, Distemper and oil on linen, 100 x 100 cm

What are the main themes or concepts you explore in your work?

My work expands across and explores a range of themes – from emotion to fantasy, sublimity and spirituality, to beauty and anxiety. While the focus may shift from piece to piece, I believe there is always a consistent inquiry into the sublime at the heart of my practice. More precisely, I think of my works as inquiries or portraits of sublimity in today’s time. This ongoing search for something beyond the visible or tangible runs through all of my work, regardless of subject or form.

Night and Day, 2025, Distemper and oil on linen, 150 x 200 cm

How has your artistic style evolved over time?

Over time, I’ve realized that a central focus in my practice is being honest with my emotions-allowing them to seep into my work and reveal themselves through the process of painting. In my earlier works, I was more research based and focused on conveying a specific viewpoint or narrative. Now, I try to move away from description and instead concentrate on expressing feeling and energy. I aim to embrace the full complexity of my emotional landscape, the contradictions and tensions, the moments of hope and despair, happiness and contempt, love and loneliness. These layered emotions form the core of my work, often emerging in unexpected ways as I paint.

The stain of you becomes a fondness, 2025, Graphite and oil on canvas, 120 x 150 cm

How do you stay inspired and motivated to create new work?

I think life itself keeps me inspired and motivated. I spend a lot of time in nature going to forests, parks and beaches. The movements of the branches moving along the wind, leaves rustling or the floras blooming and withering, the color of the berries ripening, they give me inspiration to create new works.

Bouquet of memories, 2025, Acrylic and oil on canvas, 150 x 200 cm

What do you hope people take away from your art when they experience it?

I don’t believe you can control how people will feel when they encounter an artwork. Each person brings their own experiences, memories, and current state of mind to the work, which naturally shapes how they perceive it. For me, if my paintings succeed in evoking any kind of emotion – whether uplifting or somber – that in itself is meaningful. I also find it deeply rewarding when viewers spend time with the work, noticing and reflecting on the different elements: the mark-making, the shapes, the colors. It’s in those quiet, attentive moments of looking from the audience that I appreciate.

When in Rome, 2025, Distemper and oil on linen, 170 x 130 cm

How do you balance artistic integrity with commercial considerations?

The commercial aspect of art is something I can’t ignore, as making a sustainable living through my practice is essential. I also genuinely value the opportunity to share my work with a wider audience, and I am deeply grateful for the collectors and galleries who support me and believe in what I do.

At the same time, I think that it is important to ensure that commercial considerations don’t begin to dictate the direction of one’s artistic practice. For me, staying true to my inner voice is essential. I need to create work that I am proud of – work that feels necessary, that arises from within, and that reflects how I truly feel. One thing I often remind myself is not to be afraid of change, and to stay focused on making better, more honest work – regardless of external expectations.

Text & photo courtesy of Jiwon Cha