"Lilies 7" by Alex Katz (Courtesy of Thaddaeus Ropac gallery) Alex Katz’s pursuit of the fleeting present takes center stage at the exhibition “Studies” at Thaddaeus Ropac gallery in Seoul, unveiling how the American painter captures a passing moment before refining it into his signature large-format canvases.The exhibition offers a rare glimpse of the working process of the celebrated artist, now 97, whose career spans more than seven decades.Rather than focusing solely on the monumental portraits and landscapes that made him internationally renowned, the exhibition highlights the small-scale paintings that have long served as the foundation of his practice. "Study for Trees" by Alex Katz (Courtesy of Thaddaeus Ropac gallery) "Lilies 12" by Alex Katz (Courtesy of Thaddaeus Ropac gallery) “Light is the initial flash of what you see — that’s what I’m after,” the artist once said.For Katz, painting is fundamentally about preserving the immediacy of perception. Light, in particular, has remained a lifelong obsession for the artist.Reflecting on the transient nature of perception, Katz remarked that “each image reads like a ripe, forceful slice of light.”Widely regarded as one of the most influential American painters of the postwar era, Katz is known for his crisp lines, flattened forms and striking portraits. Since emerging in the 1950s, Katz has developed a distinctive figurative style that offers an alternative to the dominance of abstract expressionism. "Nabil" by Alex Katz (Courtesy of Thaddaeus Ropac gallery) The paintings in Seoul show the artist's works from the 1990s to the present, featuring friends, flowers and forests — recurring subjects throughout his career — which appear in quick and instinctive studies painted directly from observation.Floral studies are shown alongside works from his recent “Lilies” series, revealing how quick observations evolve into the bold, simplified style for which Katz is known.The exhibition runs through Aug. 1 at Thaddaeus Ropac gallery in Seoul.