{"id":2109674,"date":"2026-08-24T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-23T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2109674"},"modified":"2026-08-24T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-23T21:00:00","slug":"at-joy-machine-emmy-star-brown-and-danym-kwon-revel-in-memory-and-childlike-wonder","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2109674","title":{"rendered":"At Joy Machine, Emmy Star Brown and Danym Kwon Revel in Memory and Childlike Wonder"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1989\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kwon-4.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"a painting of a lush green opening with two people walking in the center\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danym Kwon, \u201cOur Favorite Path\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on canvas, 18 x 18 inches. Photos by Christopher Jobson, courtesy of Joy Machine, shared with permission<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">At Joy Machine, Emmy Star Brown and Danym Kwon Revel in Memory and Childlike Wonder<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-08-24T16:48:02-05:00\">August 24, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><a class=\"category-partner\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/partner\/\" rel=\"tag\">Partner<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/joymachine\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Joy Machine<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<ul class=\"colossal-share-buttons\">\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--facebook\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F08%2Femmy-star-brown-danym-kwon-peace-of-wild-things%2F&amp;title=At%20Joy%20Machine%2C%20Emmy%20Star%20Brown%20and%20Danym%20Kwon%20Revel%20in%20Memory%20and%20Childlike%20Wonder\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share on Facebook\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Share<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--pinterest\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/pinterest.com\/pin\/create\/button\/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F08%2Femmy-star-brown-danym-kwon-peace-of-wild-things%2F&amp;media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2026%2F08%2Fkwon-4-960x955.jpg&amp;description=At%20Joy%20Machine%2C%20Emmy%20Star%20Brown%20and%20Danym%20Kwon%20Revel%20in%20Memory%20and%20Childlike%20Wonder\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" aria-label=\"Share to Pinterest\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Pin<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--email\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#89b6fafcebe3eceafdb4c8fdacbbb9c3e6f0acbbb9c4e8eae1e0e7ecacbbcaacbbb9cce4e4f0acbbb9dafde8fbacbbb9cbfbe6fee7acbbb9e8e7edacbbb9cde8e7f0e4acbbb9c2fee6e7acbbb9dbecffece5acbbb9e0e7acbbb9c4ece4e6fbf0acbbb9e8e7edacbbb9cae1e0e5ede5e0e2ecacbbb9dee6e7edecfbafe8e4f9b2ebe6edf0b4c8fdacbbb9c3e6f0acbbb9c4e8eae1e0e7ecacbbcaacbbb9cce4e4f0acbbb9dafde8fbacbbb9cbfbe6fee7acbbb9e8e7edacbbb9cde8e7f0e4acbbb9c2fee6e7acbbb9dbecffece5acbbb9e0e7acbbb9c4ece4e6fbf0acbbb9e8e7edacbbb9cae1e0e5ede5e0e2ecacbbb9dee6e7edecfbacbbb9acccbbacb1b9acb0bdacbbb9e1fdfdf9faacbac8acbbcfacbbcffefefea7fde1e0fae0faeae6e5e6fafae8e5a7eae6e4acbbcfbbb9bbbfacbbcfb9b1acbbcfece4e4f0a4fafde8fba4ebfbe6fee7a4ede8e7f0e4a4e2fee6e7a4f9ece8eaeca4e6efa4fee0e5eda4fde1e0e7eefaacbbcf\" aria-label=\"Email this article\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-hidden=\"true\">Email<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--copy\">\n\t\t\t<button type=\"button\" aria-label=\"Copy article link\" class=\"colossal-share-button__link colossal-share-button__copy\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/08\/emmy-star-brown-danym-kwon-peace-of-wild-things\/\" data-label-default=\"Copy\" data-label-copied=\"Copied!\" data-aria-default=\"Copy article link\" data-aria-copied=\"Link copied to clipboard\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"colossal-share-button__label\" aria-live=\"polite\">Copy<\/span><br \/>\n\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t<\/li>\n<li class=\"colossal-share-button colossal-share-button--bookmark\">\n\t\t\t<button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"477063\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\t\t<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/joymachine.art\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Joy Machine<\/a> is thrilled to present <em>The Peace of Wild Things<\/em>, a duo exhibition by Chicago-based American artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.emmystarbrown.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Emmy Star Brown<\/a> and San Jose-based Korean artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.danymkwon.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Danym Kwon<\/a>. This is Brown\u2019s second exhibition at Joy Machine and Kwon\u2019s third.<\/p>\n<p>Drawing its title from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk\/poem\/peace-wild-things-0\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Wendell Berry\u2019s often-quoted poem<\/a>, <em>The Peace of Wild Things<\/em> is a return to wonder through disparate yet complementary practices. For both Brown and Kwon, color and layering become a means of self-discovery and a way to tap into the emotions, dreams, and memories that might not surface otherwise. Their practices diverge in notable ways\u2014Brown works abstractly, while Kwon turns to surreal representations of care and domestic life\u2014but when presented together, they enter into a harmonic dialogue about the ways experiences linger long after a moment has passed.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/brown-1-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477063\" title=\"Emmy Star Brown\" data-rl_title=\"Emmy Star Brown\" data-rl_caption=\"Emmy Star Brown\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"2389\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/brown-1-1.jpg\" alt=\"an abstract painting in vibrant color\" class=\"wp-image-477100\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emmy Star Brown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Whether working on a monumental mural or intimate painting on canvas, Brown revels in riotous geometries of color. Amorphous forms and clean lines commingle in compositions that conjure the emotional power of magenta, peach, cobalt, or goldenrod. Describing her studio practice as the space in which her inner child emerges, the artist harnesses the playful energy we typically associate with adolescent imagination. In both her canvases and irregularly shaped found-cardboard pieces, each line resists being bound by the edge of the frame, instead appearing to continue onward on its own course.<\/p>\n<p>Inversely, Kwon nests tiny scenes of family life into stacks of folded clothes and bulbous vessels evocative of Korean Moon Jars. Holding the mundane with affection, the artist preserves small acts of care by placing them securely inside these larger forms. Rendering elements at different scales echoes the ways experiences fade and reappear over time, while the soft, pastel color palettes suggest a tenderness toward quiet intimacies.<\/p>\n<p>Kwon also draws on her Korean heritage and training in Asian painting traditions, the latter of which informs her understanding of negative space. In the diptych \u201cWhat We Hold Dear,\u201d she pairs a trio of vignettes depicting outdoor adventures with hands cradling the small findings from such endeavors. The pieces are presented in a folding frame with soft, rounded edges inspired by Korean design.<\/p>\n<p>For both Brown and Kwon, painting offers the necessary space to process the past and imagine the future. Perhaps more importantly, though, the practice demands one\u2019s presence and creates the conditions that spark wonder and joy.<\/p>\n<p><em>The Peace of Wild Things<\/em> is on view from August 28 to October 17, 2026. <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/luma.com\/j9u7nxgr\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">RSVP to the opening reception<\/a> from 6 to 8 p.m. on August 28. <\/strong>Brown will be present.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kwon-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477063\" title=\"Danym Kwon, \u201cWhat We Hold Dear\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on canvas in cherry wood foldable frame, 20.5 x 33.1 inches\" data-rl_title=\"Danym Kwon, \u201cWhat We Hold Dear\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on canvas in cherry wood foldable frame, 20.5 x 33.1 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"Danym Kwon, \u201cWhat We Hold Dear\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on canvas in cherry wood foldable frame, 20.5 x 33.1 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1401\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kwon-2.jpg\" alt=\"a foldable wood frame with a stack of folded clothes and small vignettes on the left and outstretched hands holding small items on the right\" class=\"wp-image-477065\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danym Kwon, \u201cWhat We Hold Dear\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on canvas in cherry wood foldable frame, 20.5 x 33.1 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/brown-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477063\" title=\"Emmy Star Brown\" data-rl_title=\"Emmy Star Brown\" data-rl_caption=\"Emmy Star Brown\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1882\" height=\"1882\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/brown-2.jpg\" alt=\"an abstract painting in vibrant color\" class=\"wp-image-477098\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emmy Star Brown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kwon-3.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477063\" title=\"Danym Kwon, \u201cYour Little World\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on birch plywood, 19.125 \u00d7 18.5 x 1.125 inches\" data-rl_title=\"Danym Kwon, \u201cYour Little World\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on birch plywood, 19.125 \u00d7 18.5 x 1.125 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"Danym Kwon, \u201cYour Little World\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on birch plywood, 19.125 \u00d7 18.5 x 1.125 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1953\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kwon-3.jpg\" alt=\"a sculptural painting of a child reading alice in wonderland in a large green chair\" class=\"wp-image-477066\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Danym Kwon, \u201cYour Little World\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on birch plywood, 19.125 \u00d7 18.5 x 1.125 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/brown-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477063\" title=\"Emmy Star Brown\" data-rl_title=\"Emmy Star Brown\" data-rl_caption=\"Emmy Star Brown\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1879\" height=\"1879\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/brown-1.jpg\" alt=\"an abstract painting in vibrant color\" class=\"wp-image-477097\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Emmy Star Brown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kwon-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-477063\" title=\"Detail of Danym Kwon, \u201cWhat We Hold Dear\u201d\" data-rl_title=\"Detail of Danym Kwon, \u201cWhat We Hold Dear\u201d\" data-rl_caption=\"Detail of Danym Kwon, \u201cWhat We Hold Dear\u201d\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1836\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/kwon-1.jpg\" alt=\"a detail image of small curved details on a wood frame\" class=\"wp-image-477064\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Detail of Danym Kwon, \u201cWhat We Hold Dear\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<nav class=\"navigation post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\">\n<div class=\"nav-links\">\n<div class=\"nav-previous\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/08\/luca-battaglia-ticket-non-remboursable-carousels-photography\/\" rel=\"prev\">Next article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Danym Kwon, \u201cOur Favorite Path\u201d (2026), acrylic gouache on canvas, 18 x 18 inches. Photos by Christopher Jobson, courtesy of Joy Machine, shared with permission At Joy Machine, Emmy Star Brown and Danym Kwon Revel in Memory and Childlike Wonder August 24, 2026 ArtPartner Joy Machine Share Pin Email Copy Bookmark Joy Machine is thrilled [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-2109674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2109674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2109674"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2109674\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2109674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2109674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2109674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}