Minjung Kim

Minjung Kim (b. 1962, Gwangju, Korea) lives and works in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, France, and New York. Following studies at Hongik University in Seoul, she moved to Milan in 1991 where she studied at Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera. She is best known for her ink paintings by their transparency as well as her subtle formal compositions on layered paper. Committed to re-interpreting traditional Korean aesthetics, Kim employs a process-based organization of her thoughts, problems, and whims in each of her artworks. Through the repetitive work of burning and layering mulberry Hanji paper, she conveys the process of emotional healing and meditation. Kim’s work combines her studies of the expressive markmaking of artists such as Paul Klee and Franz Kline and the calligraphic traditions of East Asia. She has been the subject of solo exhibitions at Fondation Maeght, Saint Paul de Vence, France (2024); Almine Rech & Sotheby’s, Monaco (2023); the Langen Foundation, Neuss, Germany (2019); Gwangju Museum of Art, Gwangju, Korea (2018); Musée des Arts asiatiques, Nice, France (2017); Hermès Foundation, Singapore (2017); OCI Museum of Art, Seoul, Korea (2015); Palazzo Caboto, Venice, Italy (2015); Oko, New York, USA (2014); Studio d’Arte Raffaelli, Trento, Italy (2014); and MACRO, Rome, Italy (2012). She was included in the Gwangju Biennale (2004 and 2018). Her work is represented in numerous international public collections including the British Museum, London, United Kingdom; Musée des Arts Asiatiques, Nice, France; Johnson Museum of Art, Cornell University, New York, USA; Asia Society, New York, USA; Fondazione Palazzo Bricherasio, Turin, Italy; and UniCredit Art Collection, Italy.