The Aesthetics of “Humble Splendor”- Abstract Landcape on a Meditative Contemplation
Yoon-sub Kim, Ph.D. (Scholar of Art History)
A silent and dim daybreak, the lingering glow of sunset, the depth of a magnificent night sky, and the night sea in a wild storm or the sand bank letting out a heavy breath… Mere few words cannot quite grasp the paintings of Young-hwa Kim. The feelings they evoke are too vivid to regard them as abstract paintings, but the compositions are too ambiguous to define them as conceptual paintings. They recall the fanciness of the unrefined found in the rhythm of nature, or the beauty of the ground stones (่็ณ) exquisitely laid down one next to another in Korean palaces. Hung in weighty silence, yet filled with clear and dazzling energy, Kim’s works echo the historical proverb, “ๅ่ไธ้่ฏ่ไธไพ”, meaning “humble yet not shabby, fancy yet not extravagant”. The saying is written in Samguk Sagi (historical record of the Three Kingdoms of Korea: Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla, written in 1145) and Chosun Gyeonggukjeon (the charter code for Chosun Dynasty written in 1394), to literally describe the inornate beauty of Baekje and Chosun. And the description extends to the sentiment that Kim’s paintings exude.
“I dream of the magical moment. May the comforting and deep colors that fulfill all the wishes while carrying my own sentiment be conveyed to many viewers! Nothing can compare to the time when I’m imagining those landscapes in my meditation. Through pursuing the harmony of heaven, earth and man (ๅคฉๅฐไบบ) and capturing the tremble of the universe, my paintings were born.”
The word “Moment” is often used in the titles of Kim’s recent works. She calls it “the magical moment”, from her wish to present such time of everything you wish for being granted. Possibly so, Kim never misses a time of meditation before starting a new painting, to realize “the beauty of having hills and valleys at mind (่ธไธญไธๅฃ)” that has already been completed in her thoughts. Also, the depth of intuitively selected colors and accidental effects of the traditional ink coming together in melodic harmony is repeated on canvas, since it is the space of infinite contemplation and meditation for Kim.
Although the artist mainly uses acrylic paint and gouache - the media that have originated from Western countries - her major in undergraduate school was Korean Art. Through mastering the skill of painting in traditional ink with color for many years, Kim uses the two water-soluble media with ease. In addition, while she had mainly painted the Four Gracious Plants (“ๅๅๅญ”: plum, orchid, chrysanthemum and bamboo), landscapes and flowers using ink-and-wash painting technique in undergraduate years, Kim focused on creating non-conceptual paintings in color during her graduate school years, and her expertise and sincerity can be acknowledged even just from the title of her graduate thesis; ใStudy of Colors in Korean Buddhist Paintingsใ. Kim’s tendency to choose unique subjects such as “Eros and the character of Life” for her first solo exhibition in 1999 seems to have continued to exclusive sense of rhythm in such organic composition of her paintings now.
A painter who creates such wide range of works from abstract to conceptual is quite the rarity. Especially in case of Kim, she has even painted an official memorial portrait, reputably “the height of Conceptual Fine Art”. The Korean government selects some of the most revered figures in Korean history and have the “Official Memorial Portrait” made. Therefore, a portrait’s planning to completion go through a rigorous deliberation. Artist Young-hwa Kim was chosen to produce the portrait of King Muryeong (462-523), the 25th king of Baekje, which became certified as the 99th national official memorial portrait.
Since its planning stage in April of 2016, having gone through 12 meticulous scrutinization and evaluations by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the portrait came to light in 2 years. Two portraits of the same figure can look like two completely different people according to the chosen age and the perspective, and Kim had chosen the image of King Muryeong in his 50s, entering the 22nd year of his reign. Capturing his vigor and sageness that the late king had during those years of endeavor to revive the nation, Kim’s interpretation based on historical records including Samguk Sagi and the excavated relics earned favorable reviews.
When introducing artist Young-hwa Kim, often mentioned is the fact that she was born into the lineage of Korea’s profoundly acclaimed artist in history, who is none other than Hong-do Kim (1745-?), the unmatched master of Korea’s traditional fine art from Chosun dynasty. Young-hwa Kim has diligently studied her ancestor’s virile yet elegant brush strokes and the detailed expression technique. Her late father Yoon-tae Kim (1936-2012) was a potter who was designated as Intangible Cultural Property No.13 of Busan, confirming that the artistic talent must truly run in her family.
The late artist Yoon-tae Kim is especially acclaimed to have perfectly reproduced the 30 kinds of tea bowls used in Chosun dynasty, which had remained only in historical literature. Young-hwa Kim is proud of her father having responded to his calling that had put him through many years in endeavor to accurately revive the traditional beauty. Of course, she has strived to instill such spiritual aspiration into her own works as well. Having been taught how to draw on the ceramics at the age of 15 by her father, Kim now has established her own art world that crosses over conceptual and abstract style.
“In this era of money where people mainly pursue wealth and honor, it is my hope to create a masterpiece that has energy, and to spread the Korean soul to the world through my paintings. As the saints gain bliss through prayer and devotion, I believe that an artist reaches a nirvana through making artworks. I shall practice altruism rather than strive to leave something behind and do my best in what I can do.”
Indeed, Kim has been producing artworks that tell of the beauty of Korean painting, and through making two- and three-dimensional Korean-style paintings upon their basic formativeness, she shares good energy and joy. For example, Kim has produced 118 paintings that enclose “prayer for peace” and donated them to many during the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, held a donation exhibition in Chiba (the county where Japan’s Great Earthquake took place) in 2013, donated electric wheelchairs purchased from the proceeds of her exhibition to Jeongnip Polio Center in 2005, and gave away over 1,000 items of her belongings between 2003 and 2005. Even now, Kim is in the process of donating her works in prayer for the end of war in Ukraine.
There is no comparison to realizing one’s identity in the universe, for a life may be fleeing on earth, but it goes on infinitely in the universe. Young-hwa Kim’s practice of altruism may be “another way to grow into a better being in the current life.” Her choice of “the magical moment” as the theme can be regarded to have stemmed from her commitment to “share good energy and joy”, which is her motto as an artist.
From the 2nd of December to the 30th of 2022, Young-hwa kim is holding her special 60th solo exhibition in High Line Nine Gallery of Chelsea in New York, U.S.A. This means that she has held about 2 solo exhibitions per year through her career as an artist. For the show in New York, Kim is presenting 45 pieces big and small, all of which carry the harmony between the mystic depth of traditional ink and the vibrant energy of colors. With the dynamic silhouette of a line in the center, the adjacent top and the bottom are symmetrical, creating a fascinating balance as if reflecting one another.
Kim has always said that she wished to show her art world that embraces Eastern philosophy. In that sense, her paintings could be regarded as “the dramatic moment when everything that had been in chaos comes into a new order.” Hence, her works titled <โโโ MOMENT> are the result of each philosophy that has become visual. The positive energies namely miracle, joy, success, hope, etc.… they repeatedly fill the blanks of the sentence written in the hearts of the viewers upon seeing Kim’s deep colors and golden texture with intense ink-and-wash painting effects.
