New Works Available from "Sugar Coated" by Bang Soyun & Jeron Braxton
At CALM & PUNK GALLERY, we hosted the exhibition "Sugar Coated" in November 2024, featuring American animator Jeron Braxton and Korean artist Bang Soyun. The show delved into the interplay between the digital and physical realms, using “sugar coating” as a metaphor to uncover the complexities hidden beneath surface appearances. Just as sugar’s sweetness can mask discomfort or unpleasant truths, the veneer of beauty and pleasure often reveals deeper societal issues, such as systemic violence, oppression, and the critical theme of corporeality in the digital age.
We are excited to announce that the works featured in the exhibition, along with additional pieces by these talented artists, are now available here for viewing and purchase.
From Bang Soyun's collection, highlights include her new "Black Painting" series, created from unexpected programming errors in Blender software, and “Your Focus is Empty 1 & 2,” which further combine those Blender errors with AI-generated glitches for added depth.
Darkness staring at me #1 (2024)
Your focus is empty, #1 (2024)
Jeron Braxton's contributions feature not only works from the "Sugar Coated" collection but also pieces from his previous solo exhibition, "DOPAMINE." These include the vibrant “Poppy” screen print series, which showcases his iconic character Oxycotton Tail alongside poppy flowers, as well as airbrushed artworks and collage work. Braxton’s creations explore themes such as consumerism’s impact on individuals and the endless cycle of desire and pursuit.
Poppy 2 (2024)
We warmly invite those who may have missed the "Sugar Coated" exhibition, as well as anyone interested in these artists’ works, to explore our collection here !
Bang Soyun
Born in 1992 in Korea, Bang Soyun earned a B.F.A. from Hongik University and completed an M.F.A. course at Seoul National University of Science & Technology. Her work disrupts the hierarchy between the digital and physical worlds. Since her debut solo show in sangheeut (Seoul, 2021), she has exhibited at venues like Moosey NORWICH (Norwich, 2023), SPACE SO (Seoul, 2023), and ONEANDJ. GALLERY (Seoul, 2022). She is currently exhibiting a solo show at SPACESO, Korea.
Jeron Braxton
Based in Los Angeles, Jeron Braxton is an artist and animator whose works delve into contemporary issues such as Black culture, consumerism, mental health, and social justice. Renowned for his nostalgic yet provocative visual style inspired by early 2000s video games, Braxton brings a unique perspective to modern storytelling. In 2022, he contributed animations to the Louis Vuitton SS22 campaign directed by Virgil Abloh, and in 2024, he worked on illustrations and animations for the SS25 campaign led by Takashi Murakami. His portfolio also includes music videos for The Weeknd and Pusha T. In 2018, he won the Short Animation Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. He was recently named one of Variety Magazine's "10 Animators to Watch in 2023."
Braxton's notable exhibitions include his solo shows Ouroboros (UTA Artist Space, Los Angeles, 2023) and DOPAMINE (LOVUS Gallery, Tokyo, 2024), as well as the duo exhibition Sugar Coated (CALM & PUNK GALLERY, Tokyo, 2024). Currently, he is collaborating with American rapper Kid Cudi as the director of his first feature-length animated film, SLIME, which is now in production.
Based in Los Angeles, Jeron Braxton is an artist and animator whose works delve into contemporary issues such as Black culture, consumerism, mental health, and social justice. Renowned for his nostalgic yet provocative visual style inspired by early 2000s video games, Braxton brings a unique perspective to modern storytelling. In 2022, he contributed animations to the Louis Vuitton SS22 campaign directed by Virgil Abloh, and in 2024, he worked on illustrations and animations for the SS25 campaign led by Takashi Murakami. His portfolio also includes music videos for The Weeknd and Pusha T. In 2018, he won the Short Animation Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. He was recently named one of Variety Magazine's "10 Animators to Watch in 2023."
Braxton's notable exhibitions include his solo shows Ouroboros (UTA Artist Space, Los Angeles, 2023) and DOPAMINE (LOVUS Gallery, Tokyo, 2024), as well as the duo exhibition Sugar Coated (CALM & PUNK GALLERY, Tokyo, 2024). Currently, he is collaborating with American rapper Kid Cudi as the director of his first feature-length animated film, SLIME, which is now in production.