Untitled 2001

Moon Pil Shim made this painting, its title is unknown. It’s got my attention, I must say. It’s all about these horizontal lines, red and white, stacked like layers of thought. I imagine Moon Pil Shim, so focused, carefully applying each stroke, like a meditation. What’s going on in his mind? Does he let go and allow the lines to emerge, or does he follow a strict plan? The physicality of the paint is important here, isn’t it? Those ridges! It's like you can almost feel the texture of the paint on the tips of your fingers. The whole thing reminds me of Agnes Martin’s quiet grids, but with a punchier palette, or even the rhythmic surfaces of Sean Scully’s paintings. Painters are always in conversation with each other. It is a back and forth. Moon Pil Shim is saying his piece. And what I love most about painting is its generosity. It embraces uncertainty and invites all kinds of interpretations.