Artist Koh Sang-woo's solo exhibition "Still Breathing" opened at the Savina Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, featuring paintings of wounded, abused, and endangered animals. The show includes portraits of spotted seals from a project with WWF Korea, works from a partnership with Cheongju Zoo (including a vulture named Hana and a zebra named Sero), and a rabbit blinded in cosmetic testing. Koh uses a signature blue-inversion technique, and the exhibition is curated by museum director Lee Myung-ok.
The exhibition matters because it reframes the question of euthanasia and preservation, arguing that lives "still breathing" deserve continued care. It also responds to the International Council of Museums (ICOM) theme of "museums uniting a divided world," with Koh suggesting animals can transcend borders. The show marks a shift from his 2022 exhibition on endangered species to a focus on individual animals and their caretakers, blending art with conservation and ethical reflection.