Artist Statement
My practice is an introspective study of the self—a commitment to deliberate, ongoing growth as an inquiry into how to live well. I am cultivating the fullest expression of myself through an embodied practice so that I might contribute to the whole.
My artwork appears abstract but is composed of a visual language developed over 16 years and refined into a personal iconography. My "character line work" is an expression of dynamic balance and a reflection of a life lived in continual negotiation between the self and the world around it.
I seek to translate this visual language beyond paintings and objects into experiences and hospitality.
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Artist Bio
Mike Han (b. 1984, Ann Arbor, MI) is a Korean American artist working between studios in Santa Monica and Detroit.
Mike’s father worked for Herman Miller and Knoll during his formative years, surrounding him with Mid-Century Modern design and introducing him to New York City in the early 1990s. He was drawn to graffiti, architecture, and the scale and energy of the city. During these years, Mike had the opportunity to experience Keith Haring’s Pop Shop in SoHo, a moment that continues to resonate through his work.
Despite these early influences, Han did not consider himself an artist until his mid-twenties.
After moving from the East Coast to a predominantly white rural community in southwest Michigan, Han’s family became the town’s only Korean family. Struggling with identity and belonging, he distanced himself from his heritage in an effort to assimilate. A suicide attempt during his sophomore year of college became a catalyst for personal growth and ultimately led him toward his artistic journey.
In 2008, Han made his first trip to Korea. That seminal trip helped him build a relationship with his heritage. There, he fell in love with traditional Korean craft—from woodcarving and calligraphy to architecture and ceramics. The experience moved him deeply.
While in Korea, his aunt invited him to participate in his first group exhibition. He created two works: one made by his hands and another in collaboration with a Korean sculptor. Hand craftsmanship and interdisciplinary collaboration remain central to his practice.
Han developed the visual language that defines his work today while living in Detroit and became a full-time artist in 2020. He has exhibited in Los Angeles, Seoul, Detroit, and Miami, and completed commissions in Osaka, Florence, New York, and Chicago for public and private clients.
His work is held in the permanent collections of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services, Henry Ford Health Systems, Somerset Collection, and Huntington Bank. He has collaborated with Shinola, Carhartt, the Detroit Pistons, and SEE Eyewear. Mike has been commissioned by Bloomingdale’s for its 150th Anniversary windows, by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to live-paint murals for Detroitissimi at Pitti Uomo, and by COSM Detroit for a 100+ foot mural. Han has been invited by the Detroit Institute of Arts to host a workshop and has served as an awards juror for ArtPrize.
Han’s practice explores dynamic balance and the beauty of everyday life, translating his belief that a life lived well is one lived in service of others. Since 2020, he has helped raise more than $350,000 for nonprofit organizations through his artwork.