David Heo is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice spans painting, collage, murals, and public projects. Drawing from Korean folklore and Western painting traditions, his work explores how cultural histories find new expression in contemporary life. His layered compositions move between intimate moments and cinematic narratives, transforming familiar imagery into worlds where warmth and tension coexist.

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Snarling dogs, anxious tigers, and yearning figures inhabit Heo’s paintings with a life of their own. Through overlapping forms and carefully arranged gestures, Heo constructs relationships that suggest stories of affection, rivalry, and longing. Rather than serving as fixed symbols, the recurring figures of his artistic lexicon develop distinct personalities through their interactions. A moment of tenderness can carry the threat of confrontation.

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Color is essential to how these stories are told. Influenced by Matisse and the heightened hues of recollection, Heo uses saturation and contrast to establish a distinct visual rhythm. His vibrant palettes draw the eye while deepening the emotional atmosphere of his work. Color becomes a presence in its own right, as vital to the imagery as the figures that inhabit it.

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Beyond the gallery, Heo extends his artistic vision into everyday life through murals and collaborative projects. Working across different scales and contexts, he explores how art can transform the identity of a space or object, shifting its meaning and the ways people engage with it. In doing so, his personal narratives become part of a shared experience, shaping the relationship between space and memory.

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Born and raised in Georgia, Heo developed his practice in Chicago, where he earned his MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including solo exhibitions at Realation Space in Seoul, Hashimoto Contemporary in New York, and the Urban Institute for Contemporary Arts in Grand Rapids. Selected group exhibitions include the Korean Cultural Center of Chicago, the Museum of Contemporary Photography, and Half Gallery. His commissioned projects include collaborations with Diptyque, Lotte Hotel, and Vans, with features in Vogue Portugal, The Korea Daily, and VISLA Magazine.