Dominic Pangborn

Dominic Pangborn is a celebrated Korean-American artist whose work is best described as “evolutionary,” constantly changing in style, technique, and medium. Born in Goesan, South Korea in 1952 during the Korean War, he was sent to the United States at age 10 to be adopted by the Pangborn family in Jackson, Michigan. Facing language and cultural barriers, he discovered that art allowed him to express himself without words. He bought his first paint and boards at 12 and sold his first painting for $145, launching his artistic career.
After high school, Pangborn enrolled in the Chicago Academy for the Arts, majoring in graphic design. In 1973, he became chief designer at the Ed Jaster Studio, where he pioneered multi-graphic presentations using slide projectors—a precursor to PowerPoint. He founded Pangborn Design in Detroit in 1979, expanding to branches in Chicago, New York, and Tokyo while incorporating his designs onto ties, scarves, and fashion accessories. In the 1980s, he returned to Korea after more than 20 years and reunited with his brother and sister.
In the early 2000s, Pangborn transitioned back to fine art, experimenting with new mediums and styles ranging from photorealism to abstract expressionism. He is the innovator of “Art in Motion,” three-dimensional works that appear to move as viewers approach them. His work has been celebrated at the White House and the 2018 Winter Olympics, and he is represented by Park West Gallery.