The Kim Chong Yung Sculpture Museum is hosting an exhibition that delves into the intricate layers of identity and memory, celebrating sculptor Kim Seung Young’s receipt of the 16th Kim Chong Yung Sculpture Award. Themed "Five Questions of Life," this exhibition showcases Kim’s unique artistic vocabulary, characterized by introspection and a meditative approach to material and form.
Kim, renowned for his evocative installations blending sculpture, video, photography, and natural elements, presents a deeply personal collection in this exhibition. The museum emphasizes that this show is not a grand spectacle but an intimate dialogue with the artist’s reflections. It invites viewers to discover an “unfamiliar Kim Seung Young” through works that echo his meditative process.
Central to the exhibition is Kim’s Self-Portrait Series, a body of work that embodies his ongoing exploration of identity. The museum notes that self-portraits are not merely visual records but windows into the artist’s intent and existential inquiries. Two pivotal pieces from this series are displayed on the first floor, representing Kim’s persona from 1999, during his first solo exhibition, and his present self in 2024. These two portraits, facing each other across the gallery, create a temporal dialogue, underscoring the fluidity of self-perception over time.
The first-floor installation also includes five video works. One striking piece features life-size printed photographs of individuals propped against a wall, held by tape at the corners. As the photographs collapse, the accompanying sound—amplified and slowed—fills the space, resembling the thunderous collapse of a building. This soundscape amplifies the existential undertones of Kim’s work, evoking both transience and permanence.
On the second floor, Kim shifts focus to familial memory with six mother-of-pearl chairs created in homage to his late mother. Another video piece, Blind Leading the Blind, recalls Pieter Brueghel the Elder’s iconic painting, while Self-Portrait – Memory (1963–2024) weaves personal and collective histories into a singular narrative.
The third-floor houses deeply moving works reflecting on loss and resilience. Among them, two charred black chairs rest atop a mound of ashes, one leaning against the other, symbolizing both fragility and interdependence. The highlight is Violet, a fabric piece embroidered with thread resembling a heartbeat graph, accompanied by a video showing Kim’s mother during her lifetime. This poignant combination of visuals and textures encapsulates the essence of remembrance and relational ties.
Kim Seung Young’s artistic journey spans over three decades. Known as the “artist of water,” he integrates natural materials like moss, charcoal, and leaves with modern mediums such as sound and light to create immersive installations. His works often probe themes of self-identity, societal constructs, and the intersection of humanity and nature.
His accolades include the prestigious Dong-A Art Prize (1998) and the Kim Chong Yung Sculpture Award (2022). Internationally, Kim has participated in residencies across the globe, including P.S.1 in New York, the CEAAC in France, and the Baikal Nomadic Residency in Siberia. His installations, such as Are You Free from Yourself and Tower, have garnered acclaim for their innovative use of space and sound, with exhibitions in Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum and Korea’s National Museum of World Writing.
Kim’s latest exhibition offers a rare glimpse into the layered complexities of identity, time, and memory, inviting audiences to reflect on their narratives. The show runs until January 5, 2025, with free admission, offering an enriching experience for art enthusiasts and casual visitors alike.
Sayart / Jason Yim, yimjongho1969@gmail.com
