Solomon Hwang

Solomon Hwang, born in 1956 in South Korea, is one of his country’s best-known fine artists and has built a large international following for his whimsically intricate portraits of scenic cityscapes and everyday life. His talent emerged early—a middle school art teacher once told him, “You will be a famous artist one day.” After studying at South Korean University, where he began working with oil painting, Hwang left to pursue his own studies and perfect his technique independently.
His distinctive oil paintings bring expansive city scenes to life in refined black, white, and gray tones that incorporate elements of pointillism. These muted environments are enlivened by bold color accents—streetlamps, flowers, signs, or most commonly, brightly-hued individuals going about their daily routines. He is also known for stirring abstract canvases.
After gaining recognition throughout Asia, Hwang moved to the United States in 1994, reaching a wider global audience. He serves as president of the New York chapter of the Korean Art Association and is represented by Park West Gallery. His honors include first-place prizes at the 1993 Korean Grand Prix Art Festival and the Seoul City Art Festival. In South Korea, the Korean War Memorial Museum commissioned him to create documentary paintings now exhibited publicly daily, and he has created works for charities benefiting handicapped children.