Cho Sung-Hee & Pieter Obels :Nature In Form
MARCH 6-29, 2026
Opera Gallery Miami is pleased to present ‘Nature in Form’, a two-artist exhibition pairing Cho Sung-Hee’s delicate works constructed from hanji paper with Pieter Obels’ gravity-defying Corten steel sculptures. On view from March 6–29, 2026, the exhibition explores how two distinct practices translate natural principles—such as balance, structure, and rhythm—into clear, deliberate form.
Working from different geographic and cultural contexts—Obels in the Netherlands and Cho Sung-Hee in South Korea—the artists arrive at a shared visual language defined by process-oriented practice and material awareness.
Obels harnesses the natural oxidation of Corten steel, guiding an industrial material into forms that feel fluid, light, and in motion. His sculptures appear to float, their sinuous, ribbon-like structures challenging expectations of weight and mass. His practice centers on balance, tension, and the suggestion of movement held in equilibrium.
In contrast, Cho Sung-Hee approaches nature through reduction and accumulation, building her compositions from meticulously layered, hand-cut elements. Light and spatial relationships determine how the work is read and experienced, giving the compositions clarity and structural focus. Rooted in Korean aesthetics and traditions, as well as her own personal memories tied to her family’s garden, her process treats nature as both subject and material framework.
“Despite their vastly different materials and processes, both artists’ work have a strong sense of lightness,” says Dan Benchetrit, Director of Opera Gallery Miami. “Space and proportion are key to how the work is experienced, and the meticulous craftsmanship is immediately evident. Rather than trying to directly emulate nature, both artists focus on working with its basic principles.”
1. Pieter Obels, You Might Be The One, 2025, Corten steel on wooden base, 240 x 150 x 120 cm |
94.5 x 59.1 x 47.2 in (©René van der Hulst)
1. Pieter Obels, Hard to Hide, 2025, corten steel on wooden base, 178 x 60 x 72 cm | 70.1 x 23.6
x 28.3 in (©René van der Hulst)
(©René van der Hulst)
About Pieter Obels
Pieter Obels (b. 1968, Kruisland, The Netherlands) studied at the Academy for Fine Arts in Tilburg, where he continues to live and work. His sculptures, created entirely by hand, explore the tension between the industrial and the organic. Through elegant curves and balanced forms, he transforms Corten steel into something supple and lyrical.
His works have been exhibited across Europe and are part of numerous private and public collections including Bad Ragaz, Switzerland; The Valley, Amsterdam; and Achmea Art Collection, Utrecht, Netherlands.
1. Cho Sung-Hee, Olive Green Blossom, 2025, collage, korean rice paper and oil on canvas
64 x 51.2 x 4.3 cm | 162.5 x 130 x 11 in
2. Cho Sung-Hee, Garden in My Mind F, 2025-26, collage, korean rice paper and oil on canvas
28.6 x 23.9 x 3.5 cm | 72.7 x 60.6 x 9 in
3. Cho Sung-Hee, White Globe, 2026, collage, korean rice paper and oil on canvas,
51.2 x 76.4 x 4.3 cm | 130 x 194 x 11 in
64 x 51.2 x 4.3 cm | 162.5 x 130 x 11 in
About Cho Sung-Hee
Cho Sung-Hee (b. 1949, Jeon-ju, South Korea) received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Hongik University (Seoul) and her Master of Arts from Ewha Women’s University (Seoul). She also studied at Pratt Institute of Art (New York) and the Art Institute of Chicago.
Her works have been exhibited and collected by prestigious private and public institutions including the Museum of Contemporary Art, Seoul; the Sejong Art Centre, Seoul; the Telentine Art Centre, Chicago; the L.A. Korea Cultural Service, Los Angeles; the New York Cultural Service; the Mutual Saving and Finance Company, Seoul; and Domino Foods, Inc., New York. She now lives and works in Seoul.
About Opera Gallery
Founded in Singapore in 1994, Opera Gallery has forged a global network with locations in London, Paris, New York, Geneva, Madrid, and Dubai, establishing itself as a leading force within the international art market.
Headed by Gilles Dyan, Chairman and Founder, Opera Gallery specializes in modern, post-war, and contemporary art. In addition, the gallery represents international emerging artists such as Andy Denzler, Pieter Obels, and Gustavo Nazareno, alongside internationally recognized names including Ron Arad, Manolo Valdés, and Anselm Reyle.
For more than 30 years, Opera Gallery’s mission has been to showcase the dynamic, innovative, and diverse expressions of modern and contemporary art through its ambitious yearly exhibition programming and collaborations with private collections and leading public institutions. Opera Gallery in Miami is led by Dan Benchetrit.
Press Contact
Katherine McMahon | [email protected] | +44 7763 200114
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