Concerned with graphic representation and the process of mark-making, Korean artist Minjung Kim creates methodically rendered abstractions of the natural world. She talks us through five of her inspirations.
Minjung Kim’s retrospective at the Ca’boto in Venice this summer reveals the meditative quality of her images. Frame by frame, her works suggest abstract landscapes, amino acid chains and constellations: her subject matter is both expansive and minute. A Korean who studied calligraphy in Seoul and fine art in Milan, and now lives between the USA and France, Minjung Kim has an eclectic style that merges Eastern and Western aesthetics. Here, the visual philosopher shares five sources of inspiration that inform her work and process.
Nature
Nature is the greatest art form and I love looking at colours, shapes, patterns and sounds from flowers, sunsets, the sky, leaves, the wind, even shellfish. I love gardening in my studio in Southern France and I sometimes can look at a leaf for an hour,amazed by its pattern and colour.
White empty paper
Before starting to paint on a huge, white, empty piece of paper, I always try to make eye contact with the blank page for quite a long time. For me, it feels infinite.
Travel
I see, and learn about, all different types of nature, smells, languages (even body language), relationships and people through travelling.
The masters
Looking at masterpieces is always breathtaking. This act of looking feels like penetrates time and space.
Love
Feeling love is a great inspiration for my work. This can mean love for a partner, but also for nature, my garden, my children, friends, music, my artworks, my mother, even someone who left me. All of these relationships and experiences are rich territory for channelling into my pieces.
minjung-kim.com