Renowned New York-based artist Kim Soo-ja has returned to Korea for her first major exhibition in a decade, presenting a groundbreaking mirror installation at Sunhyewon, a cultural space housed in the former residence of SK Group founder Choi Jong-kun. The exhibition, titled "Kimsooja, To Breathe — Sunhyewon," marks the final installment of a three-part series exploring Korean female pioneers who have shaped the global art scene. This year, Kim received recognition as an Officer of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government for her significant contributions to contemporary art.

Kim appeared at Sunhyewon in early September in her characteristic style — dressed entirely in black with her long hair pulled back, embodying her artistic philosophy of invisibility. Despite her calm demeanor, her determined gaze reflected the intensity that has driven her decades-long exploration of migration, memory, and human displacement. The artist's understated presence mirrors the themes that run throughout her work, where she often positions herself as an invisible mediator connecting different worlds and experiences.

The centerpiece of the exhibition is a large-scale mirror installation within a traditional Korean hanok structure, representing Kim's first mirror work in Korea in nearly two decades. "I had long wanted to work within a hanok after a bottari installation and performance in 1994 at a hanok in Yangdong Village in South Gyeongsang Province," Kim explained during a September 4 interview. "Since then, I have hoped to pursue a project in hanok or even temple settings, though the opportunity never arose." The site-specific installation transforms the traditional Korean house into an immersive environment where mirror panels reflect architectural elements like wooden rafters, natural light, and outdoor views, effectively dissolving the boundaries between structure and viewer.

Kim's philosophical approach to mirrors reveals deeper meanings within her artistic practice. "I regard a mirror as an unfolded needle," she explained. "I have long perceived the needle as a medium that does not reveal its own identity but serves to connect pieces. Once the stitching is complete, it leaves the place behind. In much the same way, the mirror reflects all things in the universe, yet never itself. It cannot reveal its own identity, and that paradox fascinates me." This concept of invisible connection has become central to her artistic identity, influencing how she positions herself both literally and metaphorically within her work.

The exhibition also features Kim's iconic "Bottari" works — bundles wrapped in cloth that carry deep cultural significance. Living abroad led her to see familiar Korean objects in entirely new ways. "I was always surrounded by piles of fabrics in my studio in New York in 1992," she recalled. "One day, a red bottari caught my eye and appeared entirely new. If my first revelation came in 1983, the moment I pierced a needle through a bedsheet, then discovering the bottari in the New York studio was the second most significant moment for me." The bottari, carrying implications of both arrival and departure, has become a powerful symbol in her work representing the sorrows and hopes of those who cross boundaries.

Three bottari bundles are strategically placed in a dimly lit corridor at the exhibition, provoking curiosity and an almost irresistible desire to untie them. "In fact, a viewer once opened one in the past," Kim noted with amusement. The exhibition also unveils her latest creation, "Deductive Object — Bottari," a series of porcelain vessels inspired by traditional Korean moon jars, produced in collaboration with Germany's prestigious Meissen porcelain manufacturer. Each vessel features a single needle hole at the top, embracing darkness and void through the medium of clay.

Kim's artistic journey began from an unexpected place of social consciousness. Born into a musical family, she deliberately chose a different path, even considering dropping out of high school to work alongside quarry workers. "I had a strong empathy for people struggling through difficult lives, and it troubled me greatly," she reflected. She found solace in Korean poet Yun Dong-ju's "Prologue," reciting the lines: "Wishing not to have so much as a speck of shame toward heaven until the day I die, I suffered, even when the wind stirred the leaves." This early empathy for marginalized communities would later influence her artistic focus on migration and displacement.

Despite sharing concerns with Korea's minjung art movement, Kim chose to maintain her independence rather than join collective movements. Her commitment to individuality proved crucial when she joined the MoMA PS1 residency in New York in 1992 for 18 months, then permanently relocated to the city in 1999. This experience of living as an immigrant herself deepened her understanding of displacement and cultural boundaries, themes that would become central to her most celebrated works.

One of Kim's most representative pieces, "Bottari Truck — Migrateurs," exemplifies her approach to addressing migration issues through art. Currently part of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea's collection, this video work follows a truck loaded with bottari through Paris and immigrant neighborhoods, culminating at Saint-Bernard Church — a historic site of undocumented migrants' protests. True to her philosophy of invisibility, only the artist's back is shown, her long hair tied back, positioning herself as an unseen mediator much like her metaphorical needles and mirrors.

Reflecting on her artistic philosophy, Kim emphasized that her path was never predetermined. "I did not set out to become a visual artist with a defined goal. Rather, I embraced it as a way of life," she explained. "Art, for me, has been a means to contemplate existence more profoundly and to sustain that contemplative state of mind." This approach has allowed her work to transcend traditional artistic boundaries, creating pieces that function as both aesthetic experiences and profound meditations on human connection and displacement.

The exhibition at Sunhyewon, organized by Podo Museum, opened on September 3 and will continue through October 19. Due to the intimate nature of the space and high interest in Kim's return to Korea, online reservations are required for visitors. This rare opportunity to experience Kim's work within a traditional Korean setting offers viewers a unique perspective on how her international experiences have informed her understanding of Korean cultural elements, creating a dialogue between tradition and contemporary artistic expression that defines her groundbreaking career.