2018–19 Roman J. Witt Artist in Residence: JuYeon Kim

The Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design at the University of Michigan is proud to announce our 2018–19 Roman J. Witt Artist in Residence: JuYeon Kim.

For her Roman J. Witt Residency, Kim will create a multi-media installation work in collaboration with the Stamps School community and composer George Tsontakis that seeks to explore themes around Korean “comfort women”—the abducted, abused, and raped female prisoners of the Japanese army during WWII.

Kim states: “Although my installation project was conceived and initiated before my awareness of the #MeToo movement developing in the States and around the world, it seems to me to be so poignantly connected to the historical plight of women everywhere. While the travails of the Korean ‘comfort women’ are an extreme example of women’s integrity being compromised, the assault sadly continues on various levels and by different degrees.”

Born in Seoul, South Korea, JuYeon Kim works and lives in New York. She has shown in both solo and group exhibitions nationally and internationally including NY, Washington DC, Shanghai, and Seoul. Additionally, Kim has been awarded several residencies such as MacDowell Colony, Kohler AIR, Triangle, and the Roswell Art in Residence Fellowship. Kim has also held several positions as a visiting artist and professor.

“JuYeon Kim’s ability to create truly contemplative installations is critical in this deep exploration of one of history’s darkest corners,” says Chrisstina Hamilton, Director of the Roman Witt Residency Program for the Stamps School. “The community of creative practitioners and researchers at the Stamps School of Art & Design have much to offer and much to learn from this exploration with Kim.  The time is nigh to engage the criticality of this conversation in our current cultural climate.”