Since its inception in 2009, the Gallery MAC Art Award has been committed to discovering and supporting emerging Korean artists navigating the uncertain early stages of their careers. The exhibition Islands Near and Far looks back on this journey by bringing together six past recipients—Doowon Lee (2013), Hyunyeop Kim & Eunsuk Yoo (2014), Hyunsoo Kim (2022), Rye Choi (2023), and Younghwan Park (2024)—who continue to actively shape their distinct creative voices.

In a landscape where university art departments are increasingly subject to restructuring and closure, opportunities for young artists to exhibit their work are both rare and crucial. Gallery MAC has remained dedicated to not only offering these opportunities but also cultivating lasting relationships and providing ongoing support beyond a single exhibition.

Each participating artist has forged a unique path, shaped by individual backgrounds, media, and philosophies. Although seemingly distant and diverse—like solitary islands—their works reveal a quiet, shared current of resilience and vision. Together, their creative trajectories form a layered topography of light, time, and memory.

Islands Near and Far is more than a retrospective. It is an invitation to trace the invisible lines that connect solitary artistic practices into a larger, interwoven map. As viewers, we are encouraged to reflect on our own "islands"—the personal spaces we occupy—and how they relate, resonate, and breathe alongside others across the ocean of experience.