Kim Myong Sook
Biography
Kim Myong Sook
(Born in 1948, Korea )
To Henri Matisse art had to be a comfy chair, to Gustave Courbet, art was his will not to depict invisible angels, and to Damien Hirst, art was a surprise to cause viewer to exclaim. Many artists have consistently explored the unknown world of art in their own manner with their own idioms. These ways of exploring art are external, whereas representing one's inner self and pain directly or symbolically in the form of art is internal. Two examples are Frida Khalo who exposed her unbearable pain as it is and Louise Bourgeois who tried to cover and forget past wounds through repetitive actions of sewing pieces of cloth together.
Artist Kim Myong Sook's work seems introverted. Kim represents her inner self with cloth and reveals the cloth's twofold inner traits, softness and sturdiness.
"A modeling concretization of the harmony of tactile and visual senses arising from diverse wildflower images and objects representing the floral images - a critical element in depicting images is "material property". Delicate change is hues is induced with the flower images treated with an obsessive technique, and strip-shape cloth stitched in different width, thickness, and density. A gentle mixture of untied strands of cloth brings about visual and tactile abundance, breathing life to monotonous space. My art is based on a strong desire to give people a feeling of relaxation, peace, and vitality. Hard work is a time for looking at myself and healing my scars" Artist's statement
Kim's early work showed layer of cloth, and exposed invisible cloth inside by repetitively scratching layers. Kim's work has changed in that it more agressively uses the sturdy and gentle physical properties of cloth. Her work has evolved in diverse ways, engendering rhythmical matiere with curved cloth and adding gorgeousness by composing various hues. Facing her most peaceful inner state, she elicits another feature of cloth by using the material of cloth.
Kim again withdraws into her peaceful inner world through the labor of connecting and sewing cloth. It can be said that her work depends on a cyclical pattern : through art she consistently finds her peaceful inner state, represents this state, and again faces her tranquil, peaceful state through an act of expression.
Kim's works shyly exist amid numerous pieces with macro-narrative elements by the artists who have tried to explore and conquer the unkown world of art. Kim's work purely faces her most peaceful inner state as it is, rather than conveying any enormous narrative, offering peace and relaxation to viewers.
Koh Yeon-su, Kookmin University
Exhibitions selected
Solo exhibitions
2013 - Garden of esprit, Gallery Pont des Arts, Paris
2010 - Exhibition, Wonju ACOZZA Gallery
2009 - Hyundai Asan Hospital Gallery, Seoul
2007 - Chuncheon Art Center
2002 - Jongno Gallery, Seoul
2002 - Korean Art Festival, Seoul
2000 - Jongno Gallery, Seoul, Chuncheon Art Center
1997 - Chencheon Art Center
Group exhibitions
2013 - Chuncheon MBC Powerful Gangwon exhibition, Chuncheon National museum
2012 - Korea Christian Art Feast, Milal Museum of art
2012 - Gangwon Art Fair - GAF exhibition, Wonju-Chiak art center
2012 - Paris Rencontrer la beauté de la Corée, Galerie Anne & Just Jaeckin, Paris
2011 - Art Hamptons International Fine Art Fair NY, Akagallery of misool sidae
2011 - Korean Contemporary Art Fair, Seoul
2010 - Special exhibition, Taebaek arts and culture center, GAF of Gangwon Art Fair
2009 - Korean Contemporary Art Fair, Park Young-duk Gallery, Seoul
2008 - Exhibition celebrating Beijing Olympic Games, Gallery Yonwoo Junart, Beijing
2007 - Seoul Open Art Fair, COEX Convention, Seoul
2005 - Gangwon Art fair, Wonju - Chiak art center
2005 - Korean International Art Fair, Seoul
2004 - Korean International Art Fair, Seoul
2003 - Korea Galleries Art Fair, Seoul
2002 - Churcheon art center
Collections
Gangwon #1 Broadcasting
Art of painting, Samsung Home Plus, Gangwon-do
Park Su-geun Art Center, Yanggu-Park Su-geun Art Center
Korea National Housing corporation
Tongdosa, Yangsan-si, Gyeongnam
Youth Cultural Center, Hiroshima, Japan
Bibliography
2016 - Soul Garden, Kim Myong Sook, Gangwon Art & Culture Foundation, Chuncheon
2013 - Garden of Esprit, Kim Myong-Sook, Galerie Pont des Arts, Paris