Diffusion: The scent of Ewha
Exhibition: May 17th - 31st, 2026
Opening Reception: May 17th (12-6pm)
On Sunday, May 17, during Mana Contemporary’s Open House, Space G NY presented a special exhibition in celebration of the 140th anniversary of Ewha Womans University. Bringing together distinguished Ewha alumnae artists currently active in the United States, the exhibition offered a meaningful and vibrant tribute to Ewha’s extraordinary legacy. Founded in 1886 by American missionary Mary F. Scranton with just one female student, Ewha celebrates its 140th anniversary this year. The name “Ewha,” meaning “pear blossom,” was bestowed by King Gojong of Korea, carrying the aspiration that its pure and noble fragrance would spread throughout the world. That single small seed has now grown into a vast forest of more than 300,000 graduates, reaching across the globe and continuing to write new histories in their respective fields. Today, the spirit of “Ewha — The First, The Best!” remains alive in generations of Ewha women around the world. This special exhibition was organized to celebrate Ewha’s 140-year journey by bringing together accomplished senior alumnae artists based in New York, New Jersey, and Maryland. The exhibition was intentionally presented in conjunction with Mana Contemporary’s Open House, its largest annual public event, allowing a broad audience to experience the remarkable artistic achievements and creative spirit of Ewha alumnae. Mana Contemporary, located in Jersey City, New Jersey, is a museum-scale multidisciplinary arts center with additional locations in Chicago and Miami. Its campus is home to galleries and collections associated with internationally renowned figures such as Andy Warhol, John Chamberlain, Dan Flavin, and Richard Meier. The campus also houses a diverse community of cultural and creative organizations, along with more than 250 artist studios. Nonprofit arts organizations, including the Monira Foundation, contribute to this dynamic ecosystem, supporting artists and fostering the continued development of contemporary art.
Komelia Hongja Okim: Professor Komelia Hongja Okim’s work brought profound resonance to this special anniversary exhibition. Working with the strength and permanence of metal, she captures the organic rhythms of nature and life, creating a distinctive sculptural language in which power and delicacy coexist. Internationally recognized for expanding the boundaries between metalsmithing and contemporary sculpture, her works are held in major museum and public collections, including the Smithsonian Institution and the British Museum. She has also authored an English-language book on metalwork and is Professor Emerita at Montgomery College in Maryland.
Yeoran Lee: Yeoran Lee’s paintings captivated viewers through bold gestures, lyrical colors, and inner imagery intertwined with the natural world. By leaving her works untitled, the artist invites viewers to encounter each piece freely and personally. Beginning with simple sketches and spontaneously created textures, she gradually builds layers upon the surface. The resulting images emerge like poetic landscapes in which time, memory, and emotion have quietly accumulated. After graduating from Ewha Womans University College of Art, Lee continued her studies at Pratt Institute. She received recognition in the 1996 NYC Open Studios Competition and was selected for the U.S. Department of State’s Art in Embassies Program, continuing an active international career.
Sunyoung Won: Former Ohio State University professor Sunyoung Won presented remarkable works created with hanji, traditional Korean paper, receiving an enthusiastic response for her distinctive visual language. After completing graduate studies at Pratt Institute and earning her doctorate from Ohio State University, Won developed a practice encompassing both painting and works on paper. For this exhibition, she presented representative paper works characterized by warmth, depth, and quiet restraint. Within their understated beauty, delicate emotions and thoughtful reflections remain vividly present, conveying subtle resonances of life, nature, and the human interior. Through decades of sustained artistic practice and exhibitions in both Korea and the United States, Won has established a deeply personal and sophisticated visual language.
Claire Kang AIFD (Wonyoung Lee): Multidisciplinary artist Claire Kang AIFD has built an unmistakably original artistic world by breaking away from conventional boundaries and incorporating unconventional materials such as wire, fabric, buttons, and other everyday objects. An internationally acclaimed floral artist as well as a multidisciplinary artist, Kang brings extraordinary precision, discipline, and imagination to her practice. Her works combine sophisticated visual sensibility with richly layered states of consciousness, continually inspiring admiration from viewers. With intense colors and fearless energy, her work transforms and commands the surrounding space. Like flowers blooming on a stage entirely her own, her creations embody passion, freedom, and an irrepressible celebration of life. Kang is also the author of the art book WONNESS, which received the prestigious Eric Hoffer Book Award in recognition of its artistic achievement.
Yua Park: Yua Park presented part of an installation previously exhibited at the Seoul Museum of Art. Her Übermensch series explores the lives and identities of international adoptees through a compassionate yet deeply reflective perspective, conveying a profound message of respect, empathy, and human dignity. A graduate of Ewha Womans University College of Art, Park continued her studies at Harvard University and Columbia University. Her work has been presented internationally in cities including New York, Seoul, Venice, and Moscow, and received significant attention through her exhibition at SeMA Nam-Seoul Museum of Art. Using a traditional portrait technique in which layers of color are applied dozens of times onto Korean jangji paper, Park creates works of extraordinary depth and contemplation that leave a lasting emotional impression.
Minju Nam: The distinctive and exquisitely refined glass works of Minju Nam, who moved to France 26 years ago to devote herself to the art of glass, made a powerful impression in this exhibition. In addition to her career as an artist, Nam served as a graduate professor at Kyung Hee University and as director of the SHIM Museum in Korea, where she led numerous international projects, including an exhibition commemorating the 130th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France and an exhibition featuring James Turrell. She received the Young Artists Award in Sculpture from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, where her work is also held in the collection. Her international recognition includes an award at the International Glass Art Award held at the Glass Museum Rheinbach in Germany.
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Closing Reception & Special Performance
Please join us on Friday, May 29, at Space G NY, Studio #223, for the closing celebration of this meaningful exhibition.
The Closing Reception will take place from 1:00 to 2:30 PM, followed at 3:00 PM by a special concert in Mana Contemporary’s first-floor theater featuring Ewha alumna and harpist Jihyun Han, who has generously donated her talent for this special occasion, together with fellow Ewha alumna and violinist Hojin Jung.
The program will also include a special video commemorating the 140th anniversary of Ewha Womans University, as well as a book launch and signing celebrating Jihyun Han’s publication on the harp.
Space G NY at Mana Contemporary
One seed became a forest over 140 extraordinary years..
