WASHINGTON, D.C.–“Puzzling (a) Space” is a site-specific exhibition of painting, installation, video and performance by four contemporary Asian artists. The artists are Soun Hong (Korean), Chakraphan Rangaratna (Thai), Ding Ren (Chinese American), and Eric De Leon Zamuco (Filipino).

The exhibit runs from September 3 to October 22. It is presented by International Arts and Artists’ Hillyer Art Space and Project Andini.

Venue is the Hillyer Art Space, located at 9 Hillyer Court, NW, Washington, D.C. 20008. Gallery Hours are: Monday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Tuesday to Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. and Saturday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Opening receptions are on September 3 and October 1. Both are from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and are open to the public. Artist Talk, also open to the public, is on September 4, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

This exhibit is co-curated by Jeong-ok Jeon (Korean) and Jammie Chang (Taiwan). It brings cultural perspectives to the District arts community and enhances cultural exchange between Asia and the U.S. It is sponsored by Arts Council Korea (www.arko.or.kr)

International Arts and Artists is a non-profit organization promoting cross-cultural understanding and exposure to the arts internationally through exhibitions, programs and services to artists, arts institutions, and the public.

Project Andini is an art collective dedicated to fostering better communication and interconnectedness between artists and the public through creative programs, curated contemporary art displays, and critical writings and forums.

Artworks

The exhibit advances the idea that artwork comes to life within the exhibition space, and that an audience’s participation is an essential component to the artworks’ realization. Hong presents “Sidescape,” a painting-installation series depicting devastating images of wars and calamities found on the Internet. Sidescape portrays parts and margins of the media images that absurdly represent tranquil scenery. This new series exhibits the severe snowstorm that struck this capital city early this year.

Rangaratna’ artworks are based on his travel experiences. He introduces full-color geometric shapes inspired by a trip to Mexico and transforms them into a mural installation, “My Ship Is Not Pretty.”

Ren’s work resonates with the simplicity and nothingness in everyday life. Ren presents two videos titled “Reflected Light Series.” Shadows and light on the walls on a specific date and time are projected on the corners in the gallery, the corner also implying the artist’s blurred identity between Asian and American.

Since coming to the U.S. in 2005, Zamuco has dealt with new environment and identity issues as a new Filipino immigrant. His mixed-media installation, “A Tale of Common Things,” breaks down the gallery space to reflect his paradoxical sense of the surroundings.

Artists

Soun Hong was born in Busan, Korea. He now resides and works in Seoul. His selected solo and group exhibitions of Sidescape were held at Space CAN in Seoul (2010), Artside, Beijing (2009), among others.

Rangaratna was a Teaching Assistant at the Corcoran College of Art & Design in the Printmaking Department, and is a Studio Assistant at the Hand Print Workshop International in Alexandria, Virginia.

Ren was born in Wuhan, China, and currently lives in this city as an artist and writer. She has shown her works through group exhibitions throughout the D.C. Metro area at Area 405, Arlington Arts Center, Civilian Art Projects, Conner Contemporary Art, The Corcoran College of Art + Design, among others.

Zamuco is a multi-disciplinary artist who relocated from Manila to Missouri in 2005. He’s now based in Massachusetts. His works have been exhibited in Manila, Oslo, Vermont, New York, Michigan and St. Louis. He will have his sixth solo exhibition at the Silverlens Gallery in Manila in January 2011.

Jeon is the founder and director of Project Andini. Her past positions include the guest curator of the US ASEAN Film & Photography Festival held in the National Geographic Society in this capital (2006). Chang receives her Master of Arts Management at George Mason University this year. She is an independent curator with an interest on cultural exchange programs.