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Heesoo Kim

"I believe that it is in the artist's karma to fill what is void..."

“Kim’s portraits queerly reflect what French philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre described as “hell as being other people”. His paintings capture the tension of people struggling to keep it together beneath the weight of ordinary life.”

 

– Ayanna Dozier, Curator

Exhibiting his work under the overall theme of “Normal Life”, Kim prioritises capturing the pure human condition, leaving the viewer to observe innate human psychology without any overbearing pictorial stylisation. This is achieved by reducing the figures to a minimum expression, depicting them in a casual repose, executed with bold lines and a flat perspective.

Characteristic of his practice are highly compact structures and rich earthy tones that endow his large-scale paintings with a melancholic quality. By eliminating the ability to place the subjects within a concrete narrative, Kim creates a space where his characters can simply be themselves. Without a pre-written narrative the imagery becomes alluring in its peculiarity, as the viewer is left to ponder and look inward.

Works

Heesoo Kim

Untitled

2023

Oil on canvas
90 x 72 cm framed

Heesoo Kim

Untitled

2023

Oil on canvas
90 x 72 cm framed

Heesoo Kim

Untitled (Mixed feelings)

2022

Acrylic on canvas
65 cm x 53 cm

Heesoo Kim

Flower 01

2021

Acrylic on canvas
90.5 x 116.5 cm

Heesoo Kim

Untitled (Many people)

2022

Acrylic on canvas
90.5 cm x 65 cm

Heesoo Kim

Flower 02

2021

Acrylic on canvas
90.5 x 116.5 cm

Heesoo Kim

Flower 03

2021

Acrylic on wood
65 x 91 cm

Heesoo Kim

Untitled (Tip toeing)

2022

Acrylic on canvas
116.5 cm x 80.2 cm

Heesoo Kim

Flower 04

2021

Acrylic on canvas
41 x 52.5 cm

Exhibitions

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Biography

Heesoo Kim (b. 1984) received a B.F.A in Advertising and Design from KONKUK University. Kim worked in video and photography until his career as an artist began at the age of thirty. His artistic practice focuses primarily on what it is to be human, isolating universal human experiences through bold portraiture.

Today, Kim is a pioneering artist who has had solo exhibitions with Herald Gallery, Gallery Kabinett, Everyday Mooonday and D Museum in Seoul. In 2021, Kim had a solo exhibition with Unit’s Voices platform, which he followed up with his wildly successful 2022 solo exhibition, Normal Life, with Unit. In 2023, Kim held a solo exhibition titled Monologue, with Everyday Mooonday, Seoul, South Korea. His work has been featured in various international publications including Juxtapoz and Hypebeast.

Kim’s work is included in the permanent collections of the Lian Foundation, Geneva, Switzerland, Pizzuti Collection of the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus, USA, Sagol Family Collection, Tel Aviv, Israel and Nassima Landau Foundation, Tel Aviv, Israel

View CV

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