One Temperature Born from Difference — Okokume & Pol Segura

Growing together as artists is not simply a matter of sharing a workspace. It means observing and respecting each other's gaze, emotions, and ways of expression over a long period of time — and walking the journey of life and art side by side. There is a married couple of artists who have shared exactly this kind of artistic journey for twenty years. Okokume and Pol Segura, both based in Barcelona, Spain, came to Seoul to open an exhibition at PBG Hannam. Ahead of the show, we sat down with the two artists for an honest conversation.

"We had many deep conversations — both personally and as a couple — about what this Seoul exhibition would mean to us."

Okokume speaks through dreamlike girls to explore the self and inner emotions, while Pol Segura expands the texture of feeling by translating living plants into the language of abstraction. Though their styles differ, both artists share a deep point of intersection: the act of working through emotion in paint. Pol in particular has forged his own visual language, choosing a path distinct from the unique world Okokume has already built.

"We talk about each other's painting styles often. We give each other honest feedback on our work and offer suggestions for improvement. But we also believe it's important to respect each other's individual time and distance in the creative process. Finding that balance is one of the most important things between us."

Finding the True Self — Okokume

Okokume spent a great deal of time alone as a child, filling those hours with drawing. Painting was always a source of comfort — a companion that felt almost fated to be with her through every moment of life.

Okokume: I work under the name Okokume, but my given name is Laura Mas. My family are immigrants who moved between southern and western Spain in search of a better life, and I also carry roots from the Catalonia region. Different Spanish cultures have blended naturally within my family.

Q: The girl who appears frequently in your work carries many symbols — emotion, connection, environment. What role or symbolism does she hold in this exhibition?

Okokume: The girl in my work is a symbol of my inner consciousness — a symbol of the conversation I have with myself. She represents the moment of asking myself questions and listening to my own voice.

Q: Your distinctive palette — where warm and cool tones harmonise — and your soft brushwork are always striking. What is your approach to achieving that harmony on the canvas?

Okokume: When I paint, I am always pursuing a balance between colour and form. I try to find unique combinations that weave opposing elements together harmoniously. I think life itself is like that — joy and sorrow, hope and hardship coexist. I want to express that balance of life and its formal beauty visually.

Q: This is your second exhibition in Seoul! What kind of emotional exchange are you hoping to have with the audience?

Okokume: Through my work in this Seoul exhibition, I want to convey positive emotions to people. My paintings contain the journey of exploring identity through observing myself and looking inward at my emotions. The exhibition is my personal expression, and also the story of sharing a space with my partner. I hope visitors can feel that balance — caring for oneself while also living life together with Pol.

For this artist, growth means listening to the inner voice. It means remembering the stories of the past and the present, and turning one's ear toward oneself. She says she lived for a long time simply going with the flow — enduring, resisting, and sometimes resigning herself to her feelings.

Okokume: Four years ago, a period of self-care arrived in my personal life. During that time, I came to know more about myself than I had in my entire life before, and that learning naturally seeped into my work. I now want to live with a conscious awareness of myself — and I believe that is the most truthful direction for both my art and my life.

Freedom Beyond Perfection — Pol Segura's Colour

Pol Segura: Hello! I am Pol Segura, an artist living in Barcelona. I strive to express my own perspective through various creative approaches. I am truly delighted to be sharing my work with Korean audiences like this.

Q: Plant-like forms appear in your work. What is their symbolism?

Pol Segura: At first, I began by adding legs and arms to static plants to give them movement — as if the flowers possessed a will to move toward something. Over time, these characters evolved into their current form, and the flower has become a powerful metaphor for me of "growth" and "revelation."

Q: Your brushwork and the boundaries of your colour seem to bleed and spread into each other, leaving a free and expansive impression. What do you consider most important in your painting process?

Pol Segura: I think my painting style resembles the way I face myself. I used to have a compulsion for everything to be perfect, but the more I painted, the freer and more at ease I became. I began to see the concept of perfection from a different angle. The free brushwork I found through that process gives me a sense of liberation — and the process itself has become precious to me.

Q: Where do you draw your inspiration? And how has that inspiration influenced your practice?

Pol Segura: I once tried styles that didn't suit me and lost interest. After that, I spent a long time studying the trajectories of various contemporary artists. My home is full of art books and materials. Willem de Kooning is a great source of inspiration for me, but I always try to absorb a wide range of sources and perspectives to build my own style. If I had to name just one, I always come back to Georg Baselitz.

Pol Segura: This exhibition is my first solo show in a long time, and it is also a moment of standing side by side with someone I have been with for many years. Unlike before, I think this is the first exhibition where I have felt a degree of satisfaction with myself.

I have always believed that developing a true visual language takes time. We can be so critical of ourselves. This series is the first time I have been able to fully show the ideas and energy that have been quietly growing inside me over the past few years. For me, it feels like the beginning of a new chapter.

The journey this couple of artists has walked together is a special accumulation of time — built on acknowledging and respecting each other's differences. At this Seoul exhibition, we invite you to encounter, in person, the harmony and synergy created when the works of Okokume and Pol Segura meet, and the honest story they have written together.