Ilhwa Kim

Overview

South Korean artist Ilhwa Kim makes intricate compositions made of tens of thousands of rolled, hand-dyed mulberry paper pieces. Using Hanji paper in greens, blues, pinks and yellow, she binds the paper into small rectangular forms. The artist calls the individual rolls “seeds” and considers them microcosms within her larger cosmographies. Pushing back on the distinction between sculpture and painting, Kim creates compositions that hang together from a distance while pulling the viewer into an intricate topographical surface texture. These seeds are lodged tightly on the surface, pushing and pulling, creating tensions and stories beyond what a viewer might see at first glance. Kim’s work recalls the intricate ecosystems of coral reefs or kelp forests from aerial perspectives or the enigmatic stills of microfauna seen under a microscope. Referring to the pieces as “living architecture” the artist captures subtle movement in her work, scenes that convey breath, breeze, and sway.

“I create artworks that combine sculpture and painting in order to explore the richness, dynamism, and depth of sensory experience on canvas,” says Kim. “These layered, entangled, and ever-evolving sensory experiences, happening in a world defined by nature’s infinite possibilities, are what I strive to capture in my works.”

Kim has been actively acquired by museums worldwide including the Sungkok Museum and National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, South Korea. Other significant exhibitions include: Seed Universe, Dennos Museum, MI, USA in 2016; a solo exhibition at Seonam Museum, Seoul, South Korea in 1997; and Beyond Visibility at Gallery Hue, Singapore.

Works

Exhibitions

Biography

Education

1996 M.F.A Dept. of Oriental Paintings, Hong-Ik University, Seoul

1991 B.F.A Dept. of Oriental Paintings, Hong-Ik University, Seoul

Selected Personal Exhibitions

2021 "Open Your Seed", The House of Fine Art, London, UK (upcoming)

2020 "Seed Balance", The House of Fine Art, London, UK

2019 "Seed System", The House of Fine Art, London, UK

2018 "Sensory Portrait", The House of Fine Art, London, UK

2017 "Seeds of the Universe", The House of Fine Art, London, UK

2016 "Seed Universe 天下圖," Dennos Museum, MI, USA

2015 "宇宙的种子(Seed Universe)," 三玄社 Arte Place, Guangzhou Opera House, China

2013 Art Karlsruhe 2013, Karlsruhe, Germany

2012 Gallery K, Seoul

2009 Insa Art Center, Seoul
2009 Seoul Auction Gallery, Seoul

2008 “Golden Eyes”. Coex, Seoul

2004 “Plant Sense”. Heiri Art Village, Paju
2004 Insa Art Center, Seoul

2004 THE SOCIAL gallery, Seoul

2003 Chuiong Art Gallery, Gapyung

2002 Insa Art Center, Seoul

2002 KCAF, Seoul Art Center, Seoul

2002 Wobong Art Gallery , Taegu

2001 Myungdong Gallery, Seoul

2000 Seongkok Art Museum , Seoul

1997 Seonam Art Museum, Seoul

1996 Jongro Gallery, Seoul

Selected Group Exhibitions & Art Fairs

2023 Group show 'Opposing Materiality' Maybaum Gallery San Francisco, CA

2021 Art Miami, Art Miami Pavilion, Miami, USA (Nov. 30. - Dec. 5), HOFA Gallery/Donghwa Ode Gallery

"Matter and Form", The House of Fine Art, London, UK (Apr. 29- May 29)

"Romance Rebirth", The House of Fine Art, London, UK (Apr. 12-29)

Market Art & Design The Hamptons, The Bridgehampton Museum, NY, USA (Aug 12-15), Donghwa Ode Gallery

2020 Art Miami, Art Miami Pavilion, Miami, USA (Dec. 1-6), HOFA Gallery/Donghwa Ode Gallery

Brafa, Tour & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium (Jan. 25-Feb. 2), Kalman Maklary Fine Arts

LA Art Show, LA convention center, USA (Feb. 5-9), HOFA Gallery

Art Wynwood, Miami, USA (Feb. 13-17) HOFA Gallery

Art on Paper, Pier 36, NYC, USA (Mar. 5-8) Donghwa Ode Gallery

2019 Art Miami, Art Miami Pavilion, Miami, USA, Donghwa Ode Gallery

Context Art Miami, Art Miami Pavilion, Miami, USA, HOFA Gallery

Brafa, Tour & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium, Kalman Maklary Fine Arts

LA Art Show, LA convention center, USA, HOFA Gallery

"Asian Contemporary", The House of Fine Art, London, UK

Art Karlsruhe, Internationale Messe, Karlsruhe, Germany, Kalman Maklary Fine Arts

Art on Paper, Pier 36, NYC, USA, Donghwa Ode Gallery

Antik and Art Budapest 2019, Budapest, Hungary, Kalman Maklary Fine Arts

"ARTMINNG-Milano", Palazzo Lita, Milano, Italy , Art Mining

"Beyond Visibility", The Work Project, Asia Square Tower 2, Gallery Hue, Singapore

Texas Contemporary, George R. Brown Convention Center, HOFA Gallery

2018 Brafa, Tour & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium (Jan. 27-Feb. 4), Kalman Maklary Fine Arts

Art Palm Springs, Palm Springs (Feb. 15-19), Donghwa Ode Gallery

"Made in Asia", Opera Gallery NYC, USA (Mar. 14-27)

Art Paris, Grand Palais, Paris, France (Apr. 5-8), Kalman Maklary Fine Arts

Art New York, NYC, USA (May 3-6), Donghwa Ode Gallery

"Korean Contemporary", Opera Gallery Seoul, Korea (May 17-June 28)

Art Aspen, Aspen Ice Garden, Aspen, USA (July 27-29), Donghwa Ode Gallery

"From Nature to Culture", Opera Gallery Paris, France (Oct 12 - 26)

"Quantum", The House of Fine Art, West Hollywood, LA, USA (Oct 24-Nov 24)

Luxembourg Art Week 2018, "Positions", Luxembourg (Nov 9-11), Artskoco Gallery

"Touch of Korea", Kalman Maklary Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary (Nov 16 - 20)

2017 "Dismantle The Core," Elaine L. Jacob Gallery, Wayne State University,

Detroit, MI, USA

"Paper Revelation," Sylvia Wald and Po Kim Foundation, NYC, USA

"A Sustaining Life," Bergdorf Goodman, NYC, USA

"Re: Collection," Waterfall Gallery, NYC, USA

Art Miami, Miami, FL, USA

Art Aspen, Aspen Ice Garden, Aspen, USA

Masterpiece London, London, UK

Art Central, Hong Kong, China

Art Paris, Grand Palais, Paris, France

BRAFA, Tour & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium

Context New York, NYC, USA

Art Wynwood, Miami, FL, USA

Art Vienna, Leopold Museum, Vienna, Austria

Art Fair Tokyo 2017, Tokyo International Forum, Japan

Palm Beach Modern+Contemporary, West Palm Beach, FL, USA

Art Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, FL, USA

2016 "A Sustaining Life," Waterfall Gallery, NYC, USA

Art Miami, Miami, FL, USA

Context Art Miami, Miami, FL, USA

SOFA(Sculpture Objects Functional Art and Design), Navy Pier, Chicago, USA

Art Toronto, Toronto, Canada

Art Elysees, Champ-Elysees, Paris, France

"Summer Art Loft," Bergdorf Goodman, NYC, USA

ART16, Olympia, Lonon, UK

"Touch of KOREA," Kalman Maklary Fine Arts, Budapest, Hungary

Art Paris, Grand Palais, Paris, France

"The Need For My Care," Watefall Mansion & Gallery, New York, USA

BRAFA, Tour & Taxis, Brussels, Belgium

2015 Art Paris, Grand Palais, Paris, France

START, Saatchi Gallery, London, UK

Swab Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Art Elysees, Champ-Elysees, Paris, France

Art & Antique Hofburg, Vienna, Austria

"The Unit," Shinsegae Gallery, Gwangju, Korea

"Endless Art7," Brown Gallery, Seoul

KIAF(Korea International Art Fair), Coex, Seoul

Art Busan, Busan, Korea

2014 Art Karlsruhe 2014, Karlsruhe, Germany

ART.FAIR 2014, Koelnmesse Hall, Cologne, Germany

Guangzhou International Art Fair, Guangzhou, China

Art Canton 2014, Guangzhou, China

KIAF(Korea International Art Fair), Coex, Seoul

Estee Lauder Pink Art Exhibition, Ara Art Center, Seoul

2013 Art Karlsruhe 2013, Karlsruhe, Germany

Art Asia, Coex, Seoul

MANIF Seoul, Seoul Art Center, Seoul

2011 KIAF(Korea International Art Fair), Coex, Seoul

2010 Kangjin Celaddon Art Project, Kangjin

KIAF, Coex, Seoul
Gwangju Art Fair, Gwangju

2009 Chicago Art Fair, Chicago, USA

“Echanted Gallery”2008, Kimhae Arts Center, Kimhae

KIAF, Coex, Seoul

Daegu Art Fair, Daegu

2008 “Flower bloom birds”. Duru Art Space, Seoul

2007 Asian Contempory Art Fair. New York, USA
KIAF, Coex, Seoul

2006 “A Journey to Poem”, Insa Art Center, Seoul

2005 “My Private Gallery”. Kana Art Center, Seoul

2004 “Light of Contemporary Art”. Kim-Okgil Gallery, Seoul
2003 “ Trip of Painting to Poetry”, Insa Art Center, Seoul

2001 'Infinite Language' . Baekrok Gallery, Seoul

2000 The 14th YeoBaik Exhibition, Kongpyung Art Center. Seoul

1999 The 13th YeoBaik Exhibition . Hanwon Gallery. Seoul
“Korea! - Korean rising again”. Gallery Sang, Seoul

1998 “Next Generation Formative Art”. Seoho Gallery. Seoul
“21st century View of Korean Painting”, Seokyung Gallery. Seoul
The 12th YeoBaik Exhibition, Deokwon Gallery. Seoul

1997 The 16th Grand Art Exhibition of Korea, National Museum of

Contemporary Art, Seoul
The 11th YeoBaik Exhibitio, Insa Gallery, Seoul

1996 “Waweon”, Kongpyong Art Center, Seoul
“Korean Contemporary Art: The Present and Future”. Kowoon Art

Museum. Seoul

The 15th Grand Art Exhibition of Korea, National Museum of

Contemporary Art, Seoul

1995 “Pil Mook”. National Museum of Contemporary Art., Seoul

1994 The 13th Grand Art Exhibition of Korea, National Museum of

Contemporary Art, Seoul
“Clear Consciousness”. Woonggen Gallery, Seoul

Awards

1999 The Grand Prize, MANIF Seoul 99
1999 Excellence Award, Art Exhibition of Sosabeol

1996 Excellence Award, The 16th Grand Art Exhibition of Korea