Lehmann Maupin is pleased to announce representation of Guimi You (b. 1985), an artist whose ethereal compositions explore the emotional resonance of nature, domesticity, and quiet solitude. This announcement follows You’s recent acquisition by the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, and inclusion in many museum exhibitions, including shows at the de Young Museum in San Francisco, the National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the Columbus Museum of Art in Ohio, and the Institute of Contemporary Art in Miami. You is also represented by Jessica Silverman.
Lehmann Maupin will present new work by You at the forthcoming Art Basel Hong Kong fair from March 25-29. In June, Lehmann Maupin will mount an exhibition of new work by You at its New York location, marking the artist’s first major solo exhibition.
You paints atmospheric scenes that blend observation and imagination, capturing the fleeting sensations of daylight, memory, and sensual presence. Her paintings often depict tranquil environments—flower-filled hillsides, still ponds, domestic spaces—that become sites for introspection and deeper engagement with the act of seeing. Originally trained in East Asian painting, You’s understanding of its pictorial traditions—where painting is not an act of depiction but of evocation—anchors her approach. Her mark-making recalls the layered transparency of ink washes and the restrained harmony of traditional Korean landscapes. After studying in South Korea, she lived in the United Kingdom and the United States, where she began working with oil paint and immersed herself in Western painting traditions. Her work now sits at the intersection of these two cultures, combining the delicacy and fluidity of ink with the depth and materiality of oil. Rather than portraying specific locations, her paintings conjure spaces shaped by memory and imagination. Within these quiet, dreamlike environments, anonymous figures drift through scenes that feel both deeply personal and universal.
“Guimi You’s work embodies a rare sensitivity to atmosphere, memory, and the act of seeing, rooted in Korean pictorial traditions yet fully conversant with contemporary painting,” says Lehmann Maupin’s Seoul-based Partner Emma Son. “We are thrilled to welcome Guimi You to Lehmann Maupin and to support her career as she enters this next chapter. Her practice strongly reflects our commitment to artists who move fluidly across cultures and histories, and we look forward to amplifying her voice internationally.”
“I am very excited to be working with both Lehmann Maupin and Jessica Silverman,” says You. “I’ve been following Lehmann Maupin’s program closely for some time, especially having lived in New York for six years. And in Seoul, Lehmann Maupin has been instrumental in introducing international artists to Korea, and vice versa, in presenting Korean artists in New York and beyond on a global stage. As a Korean artist myself, joining Lehmann Maupin is very meaningful! And over on the West Coast, the Bay Area feels like a second home to me. I lived there for two years before returning to Korea, and during that time, California’s warm sunlight and beautiful natural environment played a decisive role in shaping my current visual language. Collaborating with Jessica Silverman—a gallery that represents San Francisco and supports artists through a thoughtful and rigorous program—feels like a full circle moment. I look forward to developing new work through meaningful dialogue and collaboration with both galleries.”
ABOUT GUIMI YOU
Guimi You has exhibited widely at institutions across Asia, Europe, and the United States. Notable presentations include group exhibitions at the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; the Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio; and the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami. Recent solo presentations include exhibitions at Almine Rech, London, Jessica Silverman, San Francisco, and Make Room, Los Angeles, among others. You’s work is included in public collections internationally, including the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, California; Hammer Museum, Los Angeles; de Young Museum, San Francisco, California; Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego, California; Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, Florida; Columbus Museum of Art, Ohio; Orange County Museum of Art, Costa Mesa, California; Roberts Institute of Art, London, United Kingdom; National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia; Museu Inima de Paula, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; X Museum, Beijing, China; Yuz Foundation, Shanghai, China; and the Seoul National University Museum of Art and College of Fine Art, South Korea, among others.
Artist portrait by Guimi You Studio
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