By MINDED | Art & Culture
GaHee Park’s surreal, intimate, and deeply psychological paintings demand to be seen.
Park, a South Korean-born, Montreal-based artist, approaches contemporary art with humor, subversion, and layered narratives that redefine how women are represented in visual culture. Her works, often populated by fragmented figures and dreamlike interiors, disrupt the traditional power dynamics of looking, where women are no longer passive subjects but active participants in their own stories.
“I like to use humor and surrealism to challenge how women are seen and how we see ourselves,” she said during a recent episode of the MINDED Podcast.
Park has emerged as a leading voice among artists who use their work to reclaim agency, identity, and power.
A World Between Desire and Control
At first glance, Park’s paintings feel whimsical—figures stretch and bend within vibrantly colored domestic spaces, their limbs entangled in a quiet push-and-pull of intimacy and isolation. Yet, beneath the playful aesthetic lies a deeper interrogation of how gender and power intersect in contemporary visual storytelling.
Her work plays on the idea of the gaze—who is looking, who is being looked at, and how those roles shift based on perspective. In pieces where multiple mirrors and windows distort reality, Park asks the viewer to consider not just what they see, but how they see it.
She is part of a growing movement of artists like Mickalene Thomas, Lisa Yuskavage, and Cecily Brown, who are challenging long-standing traditions of feminine representation in art. Their work dismantles expectations of what a woman’s presence in an artwork should convey—pleasure? Rebellion? Absence? Instead, it presents them as fully realized subjects with complex interior lives.
Feminism in Contemporary Art: GaHee Park’s Role
Park’s approach to feminism in contemporary art operates in layered ways:
She Subverts the Male Gaze – Women in her paintings are not passively displayed but actively engaging in the space, often turning the gaze back onto the viewer.
She Uses Playfulness as a Weapon – Humor in her work disarms, making serious conversations about power dynamics feel accessible yet profound.
She Challenges Notions of Intimacy – Relationships in her compositions are fluid, ambiguous, and psychologically rich, reflecting the complexities of real-life dynamics.
These elements combine to create a body of work that is as deeply personal as it is universally relevant, prompting dialogue around the changing roles of women in visual culture.
Beyond the Canvas: GaHee Park on MINDED Podcast
In a recent MINDED Podcast conversation, Park reflected on how contemporary art can redefine representation in the 21st century.
Watch or Listen to the Full Episode: (Embed podcast link here)
Her ability to blend personal experience with larger feminist discourse has made her a sought-after artist for international exhibitions. In this episode, she discusses:
The role of humor in art
How storytelling shapes power in contemporary painting
The importance of reclaiming the female body in visual culture
“The power of an artwork isn’t just in what it depicts - it’s in how it makes you question your assumptions.” - GaHee Park
The Future of Feminist Art: What’s Next?
The conversation around feminism in contemporary art is evolving. More than ever, artists like Park are pushing beyond the politicized, binary narratives of feminism into something more fluid, more experimental.
Her work forces us to ask:
What does it mean to look at something?
Who has the power to define how a body should be seen?
How do we challenge old ways of thinking about gender, sexuality, and intimacy?
As Park continues to exhibit her work globally, the answers to these questions will unfold in real time - on canvases, in gallery spaces, and in the minds of those who engage with her art.
FAQ: GaHee Park & Feminism in Contemporary Art
Q: What themes does GaHee Park explore in her art?
A: She focuses on feminism, power dynamics, sexuality, and the female gaze, blending humor with surreal storytelling.
Q: How does GaHee Park challenge traditional representations of women?
A: She subverts the male gaze by presenting women as active participants in their own narratives rather than as objects of observation.
Why GaHee Park’s Work Matters
Through a distinct blend of psychological depth, humor, and feminist critique, GaHee Park is reshaping how we think about representation, intimacy, and power in contemporary art. Her work doesn’t just depict women—it challenges us to reconsider how we see them, how we see ourselves, and what we accept as truth in visual culture.
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