Jiha Moon’s Fantasy Islands

By Jessica Dawson
Thursday, September 15, 2005

Just a few days after winning the $10,000 Trawick Prize, painter Jiha Moon triumphed again with the opening of her solo show at Curator’s Office last weekend. Moon’s detailed ink-and-acrylic paintings on rice paper evoke fantasy worlds, ancient scroll painting and the “Hello Kitty” aisle. Lessons learned during the artist’s studies in her native Korea gave her the brushwork of a skilled miniaturist. Now living in Annandale, she’s supplemented her homeland’s visual vocabulary with images from her adopted culture. Whether or not cute rainbows and tiny fire- breathing dragons co-exist on the same frame, every picture rewards close looking.

“Symbioland: Works by Jiha Moon” at Curator’s Office, 1515 14th St. NW, Wednesday to Saturday noon-6 p.m., to Oct. 15, 202-387-1008.

Image: Avatar Blazing, ink and acrylic on rice paper, courtesy of Curator’s Office