"My work merges subtle votives with vibrant visions through layered compositions of mixed media, collage, and painting. Rooted in American histories and South Korean folklore, I explore the dualities of heroism and conflict, shaping experiences of identity and belonging for Third Culture Individuals. My practice fuses abstraction and biography, navigating the intersection of my Eastern and Western heritage to create art that transcends boundaries.

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Central to my work is identity, with the values that shaped me embedded in my artistic practice. Symbolism, a core element of South Korean art, is vital to my process as I reinterpret these symbols in contemporary contexts. My goal is to reimagine the world through art that can leave a lasting impact.

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These principles extend to my public art collaborations with brands like Vans and the Chicago Bulls, where I’ve created murals, installations, and products that recontextualize each client’s ethos for public audiences. Public art has immense potential to engage viewers, and my work invites people to pause, reflect, and experience moments of connection. The phrase 'stop and smell the roses' captures the feeling I aim to evoke in everything I create, whether it's an intimate work on paper or a large-scale installation."

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David Heo (b. Georgia) currently resides in the artistic hub of Chicago and holds an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Noteworthy solo exhibitions punctuate Heo's artistic trajectory, with displays at esteemed venues including Hashimoto Contemporary, New York (2023); The Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts, Grand Rapids (2023); Hashimoto Contemporary, San Francisco (2022); Vertical Gallery, Chicago (2021). Heo's creative footprint extends to esteemed group exhibitions, with his art gracing spaces like The Museum of Contemporary Photography, Chicago (2022); Half Gallery, Los Angeles (2022); Unit London, London (2020); and Abigail Ogilvy Gallery, Boston (2020).