State Of The Art: Ilhwa Kim

South Korean visual artist Ilhwa Kim on her practice and inspirations

How would you describe your art?

My work could be regarded as a form of living architecture. Each artwork encapsulates a small, unique world, displaying an ever-shifting surface that inspires our imagination, memories and senses. When observing my work, its surface and the emotions it evokes always change. I like the fluid capacity of any of my pieces to mingle with different types of surroundings as a unique but not disturbing presence.

Why is the tactile element of your work important for you? I sought a medium of work between sculpture and painting and began a transition between these two. From painting, I needed to be able to create compositions where brushstrokes and colour are always present. Sculpture allows my work to exist and interact with its surroundings.

Why did you choose seeds as a medium for your work? All seeds have enormous growth potential. When I first chose paper as my medium, I fell in love with it. I immediately began to assemble and organise the paper seeds—a process like composing a jazz improvisation piece. You do not know the end of the composition, but you move ever closer by interacting with the building blocks. Looking at each versatile paper shape and imagining its potential, work with my seeds had begun. Thanks to the seeds’ variety in size and shape I’m able to create wall sculptures that dramatically shift and flow—my work has no restrictions. Each piece evokes a part of life and nature—they interact with light and invite the viewer to live closely with them.

Who or what are your main influences? One experience has massively influenced my work: years ago, I had a very curious flight. My plane passed the exact same region in the morning, and again in the evening. The same landscape looked completely different due to light, air, and temperature changes. I wasn’t able to figure out whether the two landscapes were actually the same place or not. This instantly made me imagine what changes happened to any place between morning and evening. This stimulus to calculate or imagine these surprisingly romantic shifts fascinated me.

Tell us briefly about your upcoming solo show at HOFA. My forthcoming show will be a complete immersion of my live architecture.

■

Ilhwa Kim’s solo show at HOFA Gallery takes place September 2022