In Soft Motion

Uprise Art is pleased to present In Soft Motion, an exhibition of new work by Arlina Cai, Blake Aaseby, Hyun Jung Ahn, and Mada Vicassiau.

In In Soft Motion, these artists explore the ways in which we observe, recall, and interpret our surroundings, creating works that invite contemplation and an expanded awareness of what is seen, felt, and remembered.

Crafted from cut, sewn, and painted fabrics, Hyun's works embody a material and compositional tension that divides space, shapes form, and suggests a narrative that extends beyond the canvas’ edges. Each piece is a dialogue between structure and fluidity, where the precise seams create a dynamic push and pull between containment and expansion. Her paintings feature diamond-pointed shapes that reference stars, evoking celestial navigation and guiding constellations, while sweeping arches mirror the gentle rise and fall of a horizon line, suggesting the cyclical rhythms of nature. Through these forms, she draws a connection between her canvases and the expanse of the natural world, evoking the vastness of the sky and the boundless landscapes that surround us.

Blending multiple perspectives and moments into singular abstracted landscapes, Aaseby’s drawings explore the fluid nature of memory, with perception, recollection, and illusion converging in layered compositions. Working with pastel on panel-mounted paper, he builds each piece through thousands of superimposed marks, with vivid tones breaking through a web of chromatic grays. This interplay of color and depth mirrors the ways in which memories shift over time - how details sharpen or fade, how certain impressions persist while others are obscured. In this tension between authenticity and artifice, Aaseby captures the malleability of remembrance, revealing the constant negotiation between what is recalled, reconstructed, and ultimately reimagined.

Rooted in the Daoist concept of wu wei, Cai’s paintings embrace the fluidity of water - inviting stillness, surrender, and the gentle guidance of natural rhythms. Through gestural brushwork that nods to the traditions of Chinese ink painting, Cai suggests the presence of lotuses, lily pads, calm pools, and delicate blooms. These organic forms hover between representation and abstraction, dissolving into their surroundings yet maintaining a quiet resonance. By allowing intuition to guide the movement of paint, Cai creates compositions that feel both spontaneous and deeply meditative. The blended washes and flowing lines establish a framework for the mind to settle within, offering a visual rhythm that leads without confining. In this oscillation between structure and dispersion, the works transform a sense of stillness into something dynamic—fixed yet fluid, weightless yet grounded, evoking a state of quiet equilibrium.

Vicassiau’s paintings emerge from the overlooked and forgotten - discarded paper offcuts that find new purpose in interwoven compositions. Her paintings invite contemplation, creating an atmosphere of stillness that encourages the viewer to slow down, to linger. Through a process of layering and obscuring, Vicassiau merges collaged paper fragments with geometric swathes of acrylic paint, constructing textured surfaces that play with light and shadow. The contrast between revelation and concealment challenges interpretation, as certain elements remain hidden beneath opaque layers while others emerge through subtle shifts in tone and form.

Perception is fluid and shaped by memory, movement, and the quiet rhythms of the natural world. Whether through the construction of abstracted landscapes, the quiet resonance of minimalist compositions, or the embrace of organic cycles, In Soft Motion invites attunement to the subtleties of form, material, and time - encouraging a deeper presence within the ever-shifting landscape of experience.

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