Jungwook Kim
Shine
November 28, 2012–January 11, 2013
Gallery Skape
32-23 Hannam-Dong
Yongsan-Gu, Seoul, Korea
Hours: Tuesday–Friday 10–7pm
Saturday and Sunday 10–6pm
T +82 2 747 4675
F +82 2 747 4676
Gallery Skape is pleased to present Shine, the solo exhibition of Jungwook Kim.
Jungwook Kim replied to a question during an interview by saying she loves shiny things the most in the world. It is an answer that could have been told by one of the characters of Coelho’s novels sitting on the sand dunes with rising wind and twinkling stars. She must have said it quietly and peacefully after having taken quite a long time to answer.
Her comment on these ‘shiny things’ is a large and unlimited metaphor. It could literally designate something that physically shines and also something that stands out. But I wonder if she didn’t mean, rather, a moment. A moment when two congenial existences meet creating a chemical energy that hits light in minds, making various kinds of communication such as healing, consolation or caring. It is a glowing moment. This is a feeling derived from the relationships with everything in the world. If there could be some sort of empathy, it could form a big energy that charges your life and makes you feel alive.
Jungwook Kim’s figures glow softly in the darkness following the secret that as the surrounding environment gets darker, the light becomes brighter. While there is a figure holding tears that seem to drop at any moment even by a little breath, there is also a figure like a child with such an innocent face (but with the deep eyes and disinterested attitude). With unfolded wings, there is another figure that leans over to look after something. A figure with one glowing spot on the eye exists as well. These figures imbued with multiple layers of ink became more peaceful, sorrowful and solemn. They evoke deep feelings of sympathy and attachment in this warm black light. Their unfamiliar looks hold our attention, reminding us of the images of people that we want to lean on, or they could be just ourselves. Lowering the head, the wise eyes with tears comfort our minds. The silent agreement like, ‘you’re okay, I know’ appeals to us as a big and soft consolation. In this world full of pressure where efficiency is the most demanded value, we probably want to hear rather ‘you’re okay’ than ‘you can do it!’
The silent state of the figures is derived from Jungwook Kim’s way of life. She records every moment of life with her head and mind, and opens herself up to all kinds of forms and methods of life. Like a contemplative and observant poet writing down a line implying thoughts and memories about life, living things, death and people, she delivers her feelings through repetitive brush strokes. She thinks and keeps thinking. She covers and keeps covering. She draws and keeps drawing. Like a short line of text can be visualized as all kinds of sensitive images and shapes in one’s head, Jungwook Kim’s work is like a sensitive gift comforting the viewers. She doesn’t have strong likes or dislikes towards the concepts that people tend to define as opposites, such as beauty and ugliness, good and bad, bright and dark, happiness and anxiety, or comfort and wounds. Jungwook Kim attempts to understand ‘their natural state of being’ and spreads out that very moment of sympathy on paper. Likewise, Jungwook Kim’s unbound way of seeing represents another outlook on the world and gives us a certain shining moment.
Press contact:
Yunkyong Kim, Curator: T+ 82 2 747 4675 / kyk [at] skape.co.kr
