Korean American artist Christine Sun Kim will unveil her largest solo exhibition to date at the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York, running from February 8 through July 2024. This highly anticipated retrospective, supported by the Korea Foundation (KF), will showcase her multidisciplinary works, exploring themes of language, sound, and identity.

Christine Sun Kim, a Berlin-based Deaf artist, has built a career examining the relationship between spoken and sign language, as well as the interaction between individuals and their environments. Her work has been widely recognized in major international exhibitions, including the 2023 Gwangju Biennale and the 2019 Whitney Biennial, with previous displays at the Whitney Museum, Art Institute of Chicago, San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and MoMA PS1.

The upcoming Whitney exhibition is a comprehensive survey of her artistic journey from 2011 to 2024, encompassing over 90 works across three floors of the museum. The show will feature paintings, sculptures, drawings, moving images, performances, and large-scale murals, providing a holistic view of her creative practice. Central to her work are reflections on the Deaf experience, as well as the significance of family, friends, and community in shaping identity.

Scott Rothkopf, director of the Whitney Museum, expressed enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, "This exhibition marks a significant milestone in Christine Sun Kim’s career, and we are delighted to continue our longstanding partnership with the artist. From charcoal drawings to large-scale installations, her work is filled with sharp wit and critical insight, offering audiences a unique perspective on how she navigates the world."

The exhibition is a joint project between the Whitney Museum and the Walker Art Center in Minnesota, with a traveling exhibition scheduled to open at the Walker Art Center in March 2024. This collaboration highlights the growing recognition of Kim’s work within major American art institutions.

A Korea Foundation (KF) representative emphasized the importance of supporting such a significant exhibition at the Whitney Museum, noting, "For over 30 years, KF has actively supported Korean art exhibitions worldwide, contributing to the expansion of the global influence of Korean contemporary art. Moving forward, we will continue broadening our efforts to introduce more diverse aspects of Korean art and culture to the world, including through initiatives such as Christine Sun Kim’s exhibition."

With its expansive scale and thought-provoking themes, this exhibition is set to be a landmark moment in Christine Sun Kim’s artistic career, providing a rare opportunity for audiences to engage with her multilayered interpretations of language, communication, and sound.

Sayart / Maria Kim, sayart2022@gmail.com