Interview with Sophie’s Tree founder Sophie Hyewon Hong
By Diana Seo Hyung Lee
MEEYOUNG KIM, Sunday Afternoon, 2015, oil on canvas, 130 × 97 cm. Courtesy Sophie’s Tree, New York.
Located in an apartment building in midtown Manhattan, Sophie’s Tree is a space for art exhibitions founded by Sophie Hyewon Hong in 2015. In fact, the venue is Hong’s own New York residence and, as such, she describes the artworks that she displays, and temporarily lives with, as “guests.” Through this intimate concept of sharing, her exhibitions take on a more personal approach, bringing out deep layers of conversations that are hard to inspire within a standard, “white cube” space. After many years of working at an art advisory firm, Hong sought a return to her true passion, which traces back to her time in art school in South Korea, when she organized exhibitions with her artist friends. Sophie’s Tree brings together Hong’s expertise from years in art administration and advisory with a sensitivity towards artists and art-making.
