Page 12 - The Soul of East and West September 19 – 30, 2022 ARTA Gallery

Constellation Links 1810-Transparent Clothing, 2018
Gold • Korean Ink • Colour on Hanji, 71”x49.6”

SEONG-HEUI KIM

Seong-heui Kim, studied Oriental Painting at Seoul National University, & Art history in Dongguk University,
presents 3 works; “Constellation Link-Transparent Human,” at this exhibition. Kim uses traditional mulberry
paper for her paintings, putting together three to four pieces of mulberry paper; before she paints to create a
background with a unique texture and color. On the thickened mulberry paper, she paints using a brush soaked
with natural dye made from the fruit of the alder tree. The process of extracting color from the fruit is time and
labour intensive, but she uses the natural dye because the color has a more natural appearance. Also, according
to the artist, “The golden brown color is like the ground, where we all return.”
The people within her works are those living in contemporary society. They are individuals whose identities
become more transparent or ambiguous. They are people losing a grasp on themselves due to constant,
interfering external forces. They have been taught to pursue fame, or fortune and other endeavours, only to find
themselves being effaced.

The recovery of individuality is the hope that the artist wants to relay to the audience. Her works aim to ask
viewers whether they are ill-content at the cost of losing themselves. At the same time, her paintings soothe
observers with the warm qualities that come from the texture of the paper and the color of star clusters.

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