Kang Min Ji, BVLGARI Grils, 50×50cm, Color on Silk, 2025, Courtesy of Grimson Gallery
Gallery Grimson in Seoul’s Jongno district will host the Jinchae Research Institute’s 2025 Sehwa Exhibition: Overflowing with Sasa (巳) Energy from January 8 to January 20. This annual exhibition embraces the themes of renewal and hope as it commemorates the Year of the Snake in the traditional Korean zodiac calendar.
The 2025 Eulsa Year holds a poignant resonance for Korea, marking 120 years since the signing of the Eulsa Treaty in 1905, which ceded Korean sovereignty to Japan. Over two cycles of the 60-year zodiac, Korea’s resilience and progress have transformed its history, with 2025 symbolizing a year of hard-won hope and renewal.
Kim Ki Soon, 꽃처럼 피어오르길, 50×50cm, Color on Silk, 2025
The exhibition seeks to challenge traditional perceptions of the snake, often depicted as a symbol of deceit in Western narratives such as the story of Adam and Eve. Instead, it draws inspiration from Eastern mythology, particularly the ancient Chinese tale of Nüwa (女媧), a snake-bodied goddess credited with creating the world. This duality, intrinsic to the snake’s symbolic legacy, aligns intriguingly with the double helix structure of DNA, discovered in 1953. Both forms—snake, and DNA—represent transformation and continuity, themes that resonate deeply with the exhibition’s exploration of creative potential.
The Overflowing with Sasa (巳) Energy exhibition features 71 artists from the Jinchae Research Institute, showcasing a wide range of interpretations of the snake. Participating artists reinterpret Korean folk art and Western masterpieces, incorporating their unique visual languages to highlight the snake's transformative and hopeful energy in this zodiac year. This collective effort highlights the latest trends in traditional Korean color painting and invites visitors to embrace the snake’s symbolism of dynamic change.
Kim Da Young, 천상열차분야지도, 50×50cm, Color on silk, 2025, Courtesy of Grimson Gallery
Visitors to the exhibition can expect to experience contemporary takes on Korean minhwa (folk painting) alongside imaginative reworkings of global art traditions. The show celebrates the snake as a symbol of vitality and resilience, encouraging viewers to reflect on its enduring relevance in art and culture.
The Jinchae Research Institute, known for fostering innovation in traditional Korean art, worked collaboratively with participating artists to select the exhibition’s theme, ultimately choosing the evocative title “Overflowing with Sasa Energy.” The exhibition highlights the institute’s commitment to exploring contemporary interpretations of heritage art forms while embracing fresh perspectives.
As 2025 unfolds, the Eulsa Year exhibition offers a fitting start to the year by blending tradition with innovation. It invites audiences to witness the hopeful and transformative power of art.
Jang Jae Yeon, 히기에이아(Hygieia), 50×50cm, Color on silk, 2025, Courtesy of Grimson Gallery
Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com
Kang Min Ji, BVLGARI Grils, 50×50cm, Color on Silk, 2025, Courtesy of Grimson Gallery
Gallery Grimson in Seoul’s Jongno district will host the Jinchae Research Institute’s 2025 Sehwa Exhibition: Overflowing with Sasa (巳) Energy from January 8 to January 20. This annual exhibition embraces the themes of renewal and hope as it commemorates the Year of the Snake in the traditional Korean zodiac calendar.
The 2025 Eulsa Year holds a poignant resonance for Korea, marking 120 years since the signing of the Eulsa Treaty in 1905, which ceded Korean sovereignty to Japan. Over two cycles of the 60-year zodiac, Korea’s resilience and progress have transformed its history, with 2025 symbolizing a year of hard-won hope and renewal.
Kim Ki Soon, 꽃처럼 피어오르길, 50×50cm, Color on Silk, 2025
The exhibition seeks to challenge traditional perceptions of the snake, often depicted as a symbol of deceit in Western narratives such as the story of Adam and Eve. Instead, it draws inspiration from Eastern mythology, particularly the ancient Chinese tale of Nüwa (女媧), a snake-bodied goddess credited with creating the world. This duality, intrinsic to the snake’s symbolic legacy, aligns intriguingly with the double helix structure of DNA, discovered in 1953. Both forms—snake, and DNA—represent transformation and continuity, themes that resonate deeply with the exhibition’s exploration of creative potential.
The Overflowing with Sasa (巳) Energy exhibition features 71 artists from the Jinchae Research Institute, showcasing a wide range of interpretations of the snake. Participating artists reinterpret Korean folk art and Western masterpieces, incorporating their unique visual languages to highlight the snake's transformative and hopeful energy in this zodiac year. This collective effort highlights the latest trends in traditional Korean color painting and invites visitors to embrace the snake’s symbolism of dynamic change.
Kim Da Young, 천상열차분야지도, 50×50cm, Color on silk, 2025, Courtesy of Grimson Gallery
Visitors to the exhibition can expect to experience contemporary takes on Korean minhwa (folk painting) alongside imaginative reworkings of global art traditions. The show celebrates the snake as a symbol of vitality and resilience, encouraging viewers to reflect on its enduring relevance in art and culture.
The Jinchae Research Institute, known for fostering innovation in traditional Korean art, worked collaboratively with participating artists to select the exhibition’s theme, ultimately choosing the evocative title “Overflowing with Sasa Energy.” The exhibition highlights the institute’s commitment to exploring contemporary interpretations of heritage art forms while embracing fresh perspectives.
As 2025 unfolds, the Eulsa Year exhibition offers a fitting start to the year by blending tradition with innovation. It invites audiences to witness the hopeful and transformative power of art.
Jang Jae Yeon, 히기에이아(Hygieia), 50×50cm, Color on silk, 2025, Courtesy of Grimson Gallery
