HyunRyoung Kim, a gifted artist, seamlessly bridges her Korean roots with her Canadian immigration experience, infusing her works with a rich tapestry of cultural influences. Her artistic journey is a profound exploration of the intersection between the visual and spiritual realms, guided by a belief that art serves as a transformative lens through which one can perceive the world anew.
Kim’s ideology revolves around the expression of the world’s spiritual presence through introspection and contemplation. Her creative process is characterized by spontaneity, resistance, unintentionality, and simplification. In the realm of large, gestural, abstract forms, she forges a dynamic relationship between colours, shapes, portions, lines, and mediums. Through this exploration, she opens doors to infinite possibilities, inviting viewers to connect with the world that surrounds and resides within them.
Recognized as “One to Watch” at SaatchiArt’s online gallery, Kim’s abstract paintings are bold visual statements that emanate from a place of quiet contemplation. In her pursuit to depict both the factual and emotional dimensions of the world, HyunRyoung Kim weaves a visual language that is at once intellectual and emotive. The canvas becomes a playground for relationships, where colours, shapes, and figures engaged in a dance of exploration and connection.
The overarching theme of Kim’s work is the exploration of fate—a strong black line that cuts across the canvas, symbolizing the force of destiny in our lives. This line, a ‘fact’ to Kim, intersects with the ideas, emotions, relationships, and events that make up the intricate tapestry of human existence. Yet, amidst the unyielding nature of fate, there is a sense of movement, contrast, and change. Kim’s art encapsulates the resilience, mutability, and resourcefulness inherent in the human experience.
Kendra Ainsworth, the AGM Curator, aptly captures the essence of Kim’s work in the “Relational Space Catalogue Essay,” recognizing the interplay between fate and the capricious, ephemeral aspects of life. Through Kim’s canvases, we witness a visual representation of life’s constant flux, a testament to the human spirit’s ability to course-correct in the face of the monumental and unrelenting forces that shape our journey.