Dabin Ahn Lingers in Loss in a Mournful Series of Sculptural Paintings

"Dabin Ahn has always been interested in the way objects and materials become markers of life. The Chicago-based artist renders delicate vessels, pottery shards, and taper candles with warm wax pooled underneath small flames. Nested in hand-crafted wooden frames, his sculptural paintings are luminous meditations on the passage of time and what remains over the years. What's lingering for Ahn at the moment are memories of his father, who died earlier this month."

"Just as the artist was wrapping up preparations for his solo show at François Ghebaly, he received a call from his brother saying he needed to return to Seoul to say goodbye. Ahn's father had been sick for a while, and while much of the work in Golden Days reflects this grief and impending loss, the paintings are much more reflective of his father's death."

Dabin Ahn renders delicate vessels, pottery shards, and taper candles with warm wax pooled beneath small flames, mounting them in hand-crafted wooden frames as sculptural paintings. Golden Days centers on memories of Ahn’s father, who died earlier this month, and processes long-term grief through deep blues and grays that create meditative melancholy. Candles, fireflies, and gleaming vessels act as beacons within somber palettes. Works like 'Flora and Fauna II' and 'Repose' use fading vases as metaphors for his late father. The linen weave shows through a sanded, scratchy surface, while burled wood frames and craggy turquoise highlight material histories and patina.

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