KP Projects hosted its final opening reception of 2023 on December 2nd for Jon Ching: A Thousand Invisible Cords. Not to worry if you missed the art party, as the exhibition runs through
KP Projects Jon Ching
The spirit of a coronation manifests in the body of Jon Ching’s latest and largest exhibition A Thousand Invisible Cords – a lustrous celebration of the natural world and all its complexities and beauty.
Ching paints his figures of the animal kingdom with royal and genial dignity, cloaking them in regalia of flora, fauna, fungi, and fire. The exhibition title relates to the understanding that every living organism is invisibly linked by shared genetics, and that the enigmatic wonder of nature exists in the most magnificent and minuscule of details.
Ching imagines this intricate interconnection through symbioses of animal and ecosystem, where birds nest in the safety of a hanging sloth and her pup while consuming nectar from budding dendrobiums, and tiny frogs rest on leaflets springing from fertile fur.
Jon Ching, Mother Nurture, Oil on wood, 36 inches tondo
Alongside playful portraits of evolutionary hybrids in Ching’s work, is the sobering reality of our changing climate. In his painting “Lahaina” bursts of flames scorch the bark of a eucalyptus forest in remembrance of the August 2023 wildfires that ravaged Hawaii. Despite the destruction, an ‘Ākohekohe (a species of Hawaiian honeycreeper endemic to the island of Maui) perches among the flames of the eucalyptus while a single green sprout grows beside it– a symbol of hope, recovery, and the enduring beauty of the land.
Nature’s Influence
Ching’s personal relationship to his work is a reminder that our experiences as human beings are not separate from nature. However, reflections of nature’s eternal adaptation to change. “Some of the more personal pieces reflect a growth I’ve seen in myself as a young father. Still discovering my new role, identity, and life while actively shaping, directing, and enjoying another life has given my growth a surge of energy, and I paint about that experience, sometimes as a marker of this point in my life, and other times as an intention of how I want to grow.”
Jon Ching
Jon is a self-trained artist originally from Kaneohe, Hawaii and currently lives and works in Los Angeles, California. Growing up in O’ahu, Hawai’i has instilled in him indigenous lessons of appreciation and respect for nature. Therefore forming the foundation of his fascination with the natural and wild world, which deeply influences and drives his work.
Jon’s devoted art practice and detailed realism is inspired by the interconnectedness of nature. His work is a surreal imagining of what limitless wonders and combinations nature can produce. New creatures and symbioses emerge in his meticulously rendered oil paintings, exemplifying the endless potential of life on Earth.
Jon’s ultimate hope is to inspire love and admiration for the universally unique beauty and intrigue of our planet. He consistently strives to bringing awareness to endangered species, as well as the current mass extinction crisis and climate change. He also continues to partner with environmental organizations in fundraising and educational efforts.
On view: December 2nd, 2023 – January 6, 2024; RSVP to attend this free event – rsvp@kpprojects.net
What: Jon Ching: A Thousand Invisible Cords
Where: KP Projects, 633 N. La Brea Ave., Suite 104, LA, 90036 (South of Melrose, West side of the street)
When: Running through January 6, 2024
Website: https://kpprojectsgallery.net
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