Kwon Ji-an -- an artist and K-pop musician who is better known as Solbi in South Korea -- is presenting her painting series “Just a Cake – Piece of Hope” at Focus Art Fair London 2021 at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

The show opened Friday at the Saatchi Gallery and will travel to London’s Fold Gallery and Fitzrovia Gallery, running through Sept. 4.

The international art fair was launched in 2019 by the Paris-based art agency HongLee Company to introduce emerging and established artists from East Asia and Europe. 



The exhibition was scheduled to kick off in July but had to be delayed to August due to the pandemic, according to Kwon’s agency, M.A.P Crew. Next year’s Focus Art Fair will take place in New York and Milan.

The theme of the London edition was “Colour of Life,” and participating artists from 31 countries are presenting a variety of genres including painting, sculpture, photography and installation art.

Kwon’s three-dimensional paintings were created with melted paraffin wax from candles. Inspired by a cake, her works represent the time Kwon spent reflecting on herself, as well as her desire to persevere as an artist.

Kwon made her K-pop debut in 2006 and has combined painting and music throughout her career. She first gained attention in the art scene early last year with her finger painting “Pallete Garden,” which fetched 9.2 million won ($7,833) at an auction by Korea’s major auction house.

The singer-turned-artist was embroiled in controversy in December when she posted a marble cake on social media and was accused of plagiarizing Jeff Koons’ famous sculpture “Play-Doh.”

Kwon clarified later that the cake was inspired by Koons’ sculpture, and posted a video of herself eating it in an homage to Andy Warhol eating a Burger King Whopper.

Other participating Korean artists at the fair include Ko Kwon, whose works are inspired by the beauty of Jeju Island, and Yoo Ji-hye, who expresses the diversity of personalities through her paintings.