Delightful Rain 1976

Se-Ok Suh’s *Delightful Rain* is made with ink on paper, and it’s all about the process of mark-making as a kind of meditation. The brushstrokes are direct and simple, yet they manage to convey a feeling of lightness and ephemerality. The texture is key here – the way the ink bleeds and feathers into the paper. Look at the very top, that cloud form, where the ink is dense and dark, and then compare it to the ‘raindrops’ below. These are much fainter, almost like ghostly impressions, and seem to float down the page. The contrast between the solid and the ephemeral creates a beautiful sense of depth. Suh’s work reminds me of Agnes Martin, in the way that she uses repetition and subtle variations to create a sense of calm and contemplation. Both artists invite us to slow down and pay attention to the small details that make up our experience of the world. It’s not about what the rain *is*, but about how it feels to be in it.