Sentient fruit and veg with distinctly human foibles.
Hein Koh’s sculptures and paintings are as whimsical as they are witty - raising social commentary through a cast of anthropomorphic fruit and veg. Playing on the idea that parents chide children to ‘eat their vegetables,’ Koh’s sarcasm-suffused characters are far from symbols of healthy living. Broccoli, carrots, watermelons and a host of other foods are depicted crying, smoking and drinking to explore mental health in modern society. Themes of childhood and innocence are heightened by the cartoonish aesthetic, while bright colour palettes draw inspiration from the artist’s experience as a mo...
Bio
Hein Koh (she/her) was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1976 and currently lives and works in Brooklyn, New York.
Education
Koh received her BA in Studio Art and Psychology from Dartmouth, and her MFA in Painting and Printmaking from Yale. Although painting was her first love, after graduating she switched her primary medium from painting to sculpture – enticed by stretchy materials like spandex.
Exhibitions
Koh had her first museum solo show, Hope and Sorrow, at the Savannah College of Art and Design Museum in 2021. She has also held solo exhibitions at Anton Kern's WINDOW space, and Semoise Galerie in Paris.