The Silva Gallery x Latela Curatorial is pleased to present Spring in a Moon Jar, a solo exhibition of eight paintings by artist Julia Chon. The exhibition will be on view at The Silva DC at 1630 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009 from March 4 through June 30, 2024. A public reception will be held for the artist on Thursday, March 28th from 6-8 pm.

Inspired by the limited spaces in which many were required to exist during the pandemic, Spring in a Moon Jar explores what it means to find peace in solitude. Through a combination of intimate portraiture and still life artworks, Chon reminds viewers how surrender to isolation can be restorative and that nature is everywhere.

Women are depicted engaging in acts of self-care while seated in front of painted folding screens. The folding screens, adorned with traditional Korean motifs of cranes and lotus, transform the confines of the scene contained within the edges of the canvas into an otherworldly environment, marrying the beauty of nature with the often-quiet struggle of isolation.

Still lifes of ‘cocoji’, Korean floral arrangements, are displayed in moon jars, encapsulating the charm of spring in a timeless vessel. The moon jar, in its simplicity, embodies the gentle and enduring qualities of womanhood, reflecting the calm strength of the portraits surrounding them.

One of the larger paintings on exhibit, At the Edge of the Lotus Pond, which depicts a woman washing her hair in a bin with a beautiful floral screen in the background, was created in 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. Four years later, Chon reveals a series of artworks representing our collective experience with isolation, as well as an ode to the season of Spring which symbolizes awakening, growth and blossoming.

Spring in a Moon Jar by Julia Chon is on display at The Silva Gallery x Latela Curatorial March 4 – June 30, 2024. Located at The Silva DC: 1630 Columbia Rd NW, Washington, DC 20009. Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm and Sun noon-5pm. A public reception will be held for the artist on Thursday, March 28th from 6-8pm.

All artwork displayed is available for purchase. Inquiries should be directed to studio@lateladc.com

About the Gallery: 

The Silva Gallery x Latela Curatorial at the Silva provides additional exhibition opportunities and curated promotion to local artists in the Greater Washington, DC area. The art gallery, located in the building's reception area, is open to the public Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. through 5 p.m. and Sundays from noon until 5 p.m. For updates on exhibition openings and other art related events, visit here.

About the Artist:

Julia Chon, better known by her artist name Kimchi Juice, is a Washington DC-based artist and muralist. Chon’s work focuses on honoring her Korean heritage. Most recently, she creates Korean Earthenware sculptures representative of traditional kimchi pots. One of her first kimchi pots was acquired into the Smithsonian permanent art collection at the Anacostia Museum.

Chon’s work explores the relationship between cultural tradition and its effects on generational identity and the decisions Asian Americans make to form their identities. With a prominent Korean aesthetic in each piece, Chon merges her ancestry and traditions with the contemporary to convey the nuances of the Korean diaspora.

As Chon’s work makes its way from canvas to large-scale murals, these intimate portraits take center stage in an urban environment. Her murals can be found internationally and her work has been exhibited in solo and group shows in Washington DC,  Los Angeles, CA and Miami, FL. Chon’s clients and collaborations include NASA, Apple, the Korean Cultural Center, and HBO, among others. 

About Latela Curatorial:

Based in Washington DC with presence in Los Angeles, Barcelona and Milan, Latela Curatorial is an international art advisory and curatorial studio serving art collectors, design and corporate professionals, institutions, artists, and communities.

For all projects, LC's mission is to continuously question how support is defined in the artworld and to advocate on behalf of the artist and arts workers. LC's attitude is to nurture with a matriarchal approach: creating generative and sustainable opportunities for artists, collectors and communities alike.

About The Silva:

Developed by EastBanc and Mitsui Fudosan America, Inc. and managed by Bozzuto, The Silva features 172 thoughtfully designed apartments ranging from studios to two bedrooms, including 10 penthouse suites, making it the ideal home for residents looking to immerse themselves in the eclectic lifestyle of Adams Morgan while experiencing the best of high-end living. At The Silva, residents will find a rooftop terrace with sweeping views of the Capitol and the Washington Monument from the building’s infinity pool, a private courtyard with lush greenery, and within each unit, state-of-the-art appliances and acoustical design.

Prospective residents can learn more about the building and pre-leasing options by visiting www.thesilvadc.com.