Meet Taekyung (tk) Suh | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Taekyung (tk) Suh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Taekyung (TK), why did you decide to pursue a creative path?
I pursued an artistic career because I was searching for a way to express myself beyond the boundaries of language. Growing up as an international student, this desire became deeply personal and formative.

At seventeen, I moved from South Korea to Chicago. It was a tough transition because I needed to adjust to a new life in a new country. I struggled with the language, unsure of how to express myself or connect meaningfully with those around me.

To find belonging, I followed some classmates to an art class in high school. It was there that I discovered a sense of freedom I hadn’t felt before. When I was creating, I didn’t have to speak the “right” words—art itself became my voice. It allowed me to communicate emotions and thoughts in a way that transcended language and culture.

I realized art was about more than self-expression; it was a universal language that could help build authentic connections and allow others to feel what I couldn’t put into words. Realizing this power of art sparked my passion and inspired me to live as a painter.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My journey into art was not always straightforward. After moving to Chicago for high school, I earned a BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In between, I returned to Korea to serve in the South Korean Navy and worked as a curator at a gallery in Seoul for two years. Despite these detours, I remained continue making paintings, using these periods to deepen my connection to my art.

I was fortunate to have two solo exhibitions, Boogie Nights and Bad Paintings Forever, in 2021 and 2022 at Gallery LVS and CICA Museum in South Korea. These opportunities gave me the confidence to see myself as a professional painter while also challenging me to think critically about my work. I wanted to further explore the relationship between the image and the paint itself and find ways to transform the painting, a static medium, into an active experience. These questions eventually guided me to return to the U.S. and completed my MFA at Columbia University in 2024.

Currently, I live and work in Queens, NY. My work focuses on oil painting inspired by personal experiences and emotions. I paint puzzling images as metaphors for feelings, weaving narratives that provoke a sense of absurdity and imagination. My recent paintings are less about creating a fixed statement and more about engaging in a dialogue. I approach each canvas as a conversation, using improvisational brushstrokes, bold applications of color, scraping techniques, and even rotating the canvas as I work. These techniques allow the process itself to bear traces of emotion and spontaneity, resulting in works that feel open-ended and alive.

What sets my work apart is its emphasis on process and storytelling. My paintings invite viewers to interpret, imagine, and evolve in their own way. In this approach, I reject the idea of painting as a static medium by inviting stranger to join the conversation and work together.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m more of a homebody, but if my best friend came to visit, we’d definitely take some time to explore around Long Island City and Astoria. We’d start with a relaxing walk along the LIC waterfront, watching the stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and spending some time at Gantry Park. It’s a great spot for a picnic, and if they brought their pet, it’s even better!

For dinner, we’d head over to Astoria Seafood, a laid-back spot that’s part fish market, part restaurant. You pick out the seafood you want, and they cook it exactly to your preference. I’d recommend their fried calamari, baked clams, and one of the seasonal fish options. A pro tip: it’s BYOB, so we’d grab a nice bottle of wine beforehand to pair with the meal.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ve been fortunate to have incredible mentors who played a pivotal role in shaping me as an artist. During my early years, Richard Hull and Judith Geichman helped me build a strong foundation in painting and guided me as I was just beginning to explore my creative voice.
Later, Dana DeGiulio, Susanna Coffey, and David Humphrey expanded my perspective and deepened my understanding of what it means to be an artist. Each of them pushed me to think critically about, explore new possibilities, and take challenges in the studio.

Website: https://tksuh.com

Instagram: tk_50h

Image Credits
Will Chen and Yulim Heo