Korea, b. 1981

Sono Moon explores the concept that nothing truly disappears; instead, things transform and endure in different forms. Her work is a poetic investigation into the "geometry of memory" and the "physicality of time." Through her signature character, Hornelle—a being as small as a sugar cube—the artist reimagines vintage objects not merely as relics, but as expansive rooms and entire universes. For Moon, painting is the act of gifting a "room" to the viewer—a sanctuary where one can quietly linger amidst the joys and sorrows of life. Her practice is divided into two distinct yet interconnected realms: Narrative Figuration and Material Abstraction. In her figurative works, Moon utilizes the "Marie Antoinette Palette." These faded pastels and remnants of gold serve as a linguistic tool to bridge the atmosphere of the past with the present. Through this palette, Hornelle navigates a "Kingdom of Time," where memory fragments have solidified into a world of their own. In contrast, her abstract works manifest time as physical substance. Using aged letters, vintage books, and historical documents—materials once saturated with human records—Moon deconstructs and layers them into architectural structures. This process is less about manipulating materials and more about the "architecture of time," where the layers, gaps, and eroded surfaces of paper reveal the traces of existence. Ultimately, Moon’s work converges into a single, profound question: "What do we leave behind?" In her world, while we may eventually disappear, we remain through the unique spaces and stories we build.