Moonassi

Moonassi is an artist who paints the invisible realm of the ‘heart.’ In his black-and-white compositions, expressionless figures convey emotion through nothing more than gesture and posture—performing states such as sorrow, joy, and solitude without the aid of facial expression. The artist explains that his pseudonym, “Moona,” derives from moo-ah (the absence of self), embodying a wish to remain open to the world rather than confined by the boundaries of the self. Rather than presenting a specific narrative, his paintings quietly offer solace by capturing universal moments of feeling shared across human experience.

Moonassi studied Oriental Painting at Hongik University. He first gained recognition in the field of illustration, winning the UK’s YCN Professional Award in 2014. Since then, he has steadily developed his practice as a fine artist, holding solo exhibitions not only in Seoul but also in cities such as Paris and Chicago. His international presence has further expanded through participation in residency programs in New York and Leipzig, Germany.

His artistic process resembles a form of disciplined meditation. Using only sumi ink and acrylic paint, Moonassi builds his images by layering countless fine lines across the surface of the paper. These accumulated traces of time and labor lend a subtle weight and depth to the work, visually articulating the emotional burdens carried by the figures the artist depicts. The quietly surreal, meditative atmosphere of his paintings—rendered entirely in black—has become one of the defining hallmarks of Moonassi’s practice, evoking an interior landscape of feeling.

The artist admits, “It’s incredibly difficult to secure the time and space to work in a healthy and sustained way.” And yet, he continues to paint. The artist notes that it remains as “the only way to leave his story behind in the world, and the thing that gives his life meaning.” Recently, Moonassi has turned his attention to the ‘emotion of guilt’—how it moves the human heart, and how it shapes the world around us.

At this year’s Kiaf, Moonassi unveils a new series exploring the emotional condition of ‘freedom.’ He does not approach it as a simple sense of liberation, but rather as a layered state—one composed of relief, anxiety, and guilt. Rather than delivering a grandiose message, the artist offers a modest wish: “In the vast and complex environment of this exhibition,” he says, “I hope visitors might pause for a moment in front of my work, and simply rest.”

A World Between, Ink on Korean paper, 66 x 96cm,2025