Panther Dough II (framed original painting on canvas), 2022

Socko  

Socko was born in Seoul, South Korea in 1993. He studied at The School of Visual Arts in New York City, where he is currently based.

He is best known for creating wide-eyed characters that beckon with color. His practice is centered around the fictional character, Dough and made to imbue a sense of childhood innocence and nostalgia within the viewer. While the compositions may appear flat from a distance, they begin to reveal vivid textures that almost appear three-dimensional on closer inspection.

For Socko, the character Dough represents the experiences he felt after moving to LA at age 16. Through the act of painting, the artist confronts his own feelings of fear and hope to encourage viewers to be open to their senses and take a step into the unknown.

Inspired by 90s cartoons and toys, Socko takes viewers to his imaginary world filled with vibrant colors and raw textures.Socko hoped to create something that everyone can resonate with, hence the creation of the imaginary character, 'Dough' - with dolly eyes and childlike expressions, Dough encapsulates a profound sense of innocence and nostalgia that is much-needed in this world. The bright color's pastel impression stands inconstant strong contrast to the even brighter artificial hair color. 

This contrast is pleasing in many ways.Using pastel hues, Socko can produce a stunningly rich, delicate texture.He demonstrates how the deep, rich hues may shine brilliantly and are easy to mix when used properly.He has more creative freedom while using acrylic to choose the texture and consistency. His creations may appear three-dimensional due to the fact that he only uses two media.