About the artwork
Kim's tiny impastoed figures litter his canvas in a manner that is seemingly chaotic, with hundreds of colourful strokes making up a convoluted and striking pattern of lines and dots. But there is a unique synergy to each one of his works, where upon closer inspection each small figure has an individual presence in the painting and plays a part in making the work a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing whole. In this piece, the figures appear to move in waves, almost in line with one another in a maze-like pattern. Here, Kim's work is humbling as it reminds us of the smallness of human existence and forces us to confront our own individuality in relation to others.
About the artist
Artist Statement
People of different races have lived in this vast and immense universe on the small piece of
dust called Earth. Since the beginning of time, they have fought each other to expand their
territories and preserve their own kind. Humans will be continuously struggling to survive,
taking care of their families, and wishing for happiness as they have always been.
These humans, in other words, “people in this world,” are a major theme in my works.
People in urban areas today repeatedly bump into and compete against each other.
When you look at the way in which they move, you will see they behave in a regular,
repetitive manner as if they were a part of a machine. Individuals form a group, and
groups form a crowd. Seen from a distance, they look like a living organism made of one
huge mass.
The crowd may seem vibrant and colorful to the eye; however, on the other side of the
coin, there are small, vulnerable people drowning in anxiety and solitude and feeling swept
by the benefits of civilization.
Individuals in such a colorful crowd!
Lonely humans are no longer visible in the crowd when seen from a distance, which
suggests the word “crowd” itself embodies the loss of individuality.
My works explore how people face their lonely fate in modern times by focusing on the
relationship between individuals and the crowd.