SAN ANTONIO – The McNay Art Museum will make history this fall with the debut of “Suki Seokyeong Kang: Mountain—Hour—Face,” the first solo exhibition by a South Korean artist ever presented at the museum.
Opening Oct. 30, 2026, and running through Jan. 24, 2027, the exhibition features nearly 40 works created between 2014 and 2024, offering visitors an immersive exploration of sculpture, painting, textiles, installation, video and poetry by internationally acclaimed artist Suki Seokyeong Kang.
Originally organized by the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver and adapted for the McNay by Curator of Exhibitions Lauren Thompson, the exhibition transforms the galleries into a contemplative landscape where art responds to movement, rhythm and the natural world.
Rather than viewing art from a distance, visitors will navigate works suspended from the ceiling, positioned across floors and walls, and designed to shift visually as guests move through the exhibition.
“One of the most captivating aspects of Suki Seokyeong Kang’s work is the way she draws from Korean traditions of painting, dance and craft to create environments that invite reflection and discovery,” Thompson said. “I hope audiences leave with a deeper appreciation for the beauty of her work and the connections it inspires.”
Among the exhibition’s highlights are two handwoven hwamunseok mats making their United States debut. Crafted from dried plants, the pieces reference chunaeungmu, a Korean royal court dance dating to the late 18th century in which a lone performer danced atop a woven reed mat before the king. Suspended from the gallery ceiling, Kang reimagines these traditional materials into contemporary sculptural works that explore the physical and emotional spaces people occupy together.
Visitors will also encounter several of Kang’s best-known series, including her delicate “Mountain — hours” aluminum mobiles, which gently respond to airflow and movement throughout the gallery. Poems inspired by the artwork are incorporated into the exhibition, allowing audiences to engage directly with the artist’s voice.
The exhibition also features sculptures from Kang’s “Tender Meander” series, abstract works that subtly evoke the human form, and “Grandmother Tower,” a significant piece on loan from a private Dallas-area collection.
Kang, who lived and worked in Seoul, drew inspiration from Korean artistic traditions, seasonal change, music, movement and the natural landscape. She earned degrees from Ewha Womans University in Seoul and the Royal College of Art in London, received the prestigious Baloise Art Prize at Art Basel in 2018 and exhibited internationally throughout her career. She died in 2025 at the age of 47.
McNay Director and CEO Matthew McLendon said the exhibition offers San Antonio audiences a unique opportunity to experience contemporary Korean art while celebrating the city’s international ties.
“Through Kang’s work, visitors can experience the richness of contemporary Korean art and the power of art to connect people across cultures,” McLendon said. “As a sister city to Gwangju, San Antonio has a unique connection to South Korea, making this exhibition especially meaningful for our community.”
The museum will accompany the exhibition with several public programs, including an opening celebration featuring live poetry and a special performance in which dancers will move throughout the galleries, interpreting Kang’s work through choreography and offering visitors a new perspective on the exhibition.
The McNay’s presentation is made possible with assistance from Tina Kim Gallery, with major funding provided by the Elizabeth Huth Coates Charitable Foundation of 1992.