Jungwook Kim South Korea, b. 1970

Jungwook Kim (b. 1970, Seoul, South Korea) paints anthropomorphic figures – presented in solitude or a group – with countless layers of black ink on Korean paper treated with the traditional sizing technique. Her iconic figures display certain peculiar forms, especially the eyes that are encroached by the deeply black iris, and whatever the viewers are faced with in this unfathomed darkness is not completely autonomous from their past experiences. Kim is intrigued precisely by this system of visual memory that lends unique meaning to daily encounters. In fact, the religious elements she often incorporates in her works seem to be a metaphor for the entirety of life and what it means to be human, focusing on the congenial existences. While maintaining the traditional style of Oriental painting, Kim’s figures speak with both emotional and intellectual language that can be universally understood. The repetitive brushstrokes that the artist uses to draw and keep drawing and to cover and keep covering reflect her attitude to people and life, embracing all states of being human without judgment, providing silent agreement and giving comfort to the audience.

 

Jungwook Kim held numerous solo exhibitions, most notably at Kumho Museum of Art, Seoul. She also participated in a number of group exhibitions, including the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, Korea; Seoul National University Museum of Art. Kim’s works are in several public collections, such as the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea; Seoul Museum of Art; Seoul National University Museum of Art; OCI Museum of Art, Seoul. Kim graduated from Duksung Women’s University majoring in Oriental painting and currently lives and works in Seoul, South Korea.