(; born 1962) is a Korean contemporary paper artist that specializes in hanji paper art, ink painting, and calligraphy. Kim has had work displayed in museums internationally, the Gwangju Biennale in 2004 and 2018, Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale in 2025, and the Venice Biennale in 2015.
Between 1991 and 2026, Kim has had 68 solo exhibitions in museums in Europe, North America, and Asia. She has also been featured in group exhibitions on women in abstract art, contemporary landscape painting styles, contemporary Korean art, the 'feeling of light' in a painting as inspired by Kora of Sicyon, and many more.
Biography Kim was raised in rural Gwangju, Jeolla-do, South Korea. Her father was a printing shop owner. Kim began calligraphy art and experimenting with paper scraps as a child. According to Kim, she knew that she would be an artist when she was young since she won all of the local art competitions.
Kim completed her Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts (1985) at Hongik University in Seoul, South Korea. She moved to Milan, Italy in 1991 to complete a Master of Fine Arts at Brera Academy.
Kim is currently based between New York City, United States and St. Paul de Vence, France
Art technique Kim burns the edges of hanji, traditional Korean paper, and further manipulates it create minimal collages. She folds, cuts, tears, sculpts, and glues the hanji scraps to create a full minimalist, abstract picture(s).
She told Forbes that she chose paper as her medium because "You can make a web, a painting, you can tear it, you can cut it, you can bond it... My life is a diaspora. Paper, you can roll it, you can take with you. It’s like your skin.”
Her artistic inspirations include minimalist and abstract artists, including Constantin Brâncusi, Brice Marden, Guo Xi, Briget Riley, and painters from the Joseon Dynasty.
Solo exhibitions Exhibition DatesGalleryLocationMountainTBD 2026Almine RechGstaad, SwitzerlandThe Pulse of Ink, Paper and FireJan 21 — Mar 7, 2026Almine RechBrussels, BelgiumSurvey of WorksJanuary 5, 2026 – January 31, 2026Space Gallery Gustavia, Saint Barthélémy, FranceRepetitions2026Robilant+Voena GalleryMilan, ItalyTraces of SilenceOctober 2, 2025 - November 22, 2025Hamburg, GermanyOne after the OtherAugust 27, 2025 - October 19, 2025Gallery HyundaiSeoul, South KoreaMountain Nov 9, 2024 —Feb 23, 2025Fondation MaeghtSaint-Paul de Vence, FranceRegenerationApr 26 — May 25, 2024Almine RechParis, FranceRepeticiónFebruary 24 – April 3, 2024Mexico City, MexicoMinjung KimDecember 19, 2023 - January 28, 2024Robilant+VoenaSt. Moritz, SwitzerlandBurning GravitySeptember 21– October 30, 2023Almine Rech & Sotheby'sMonacoTimelessSeptember 16 – November 3, 2021Galerie CommeterHamburg, GermanyLong Street of Timeless History of Phasing Grey Snow into WaterSeptember 15 – October 30, 2021Volker Diehl Gallery Berlin, GermanyTimelessFebruary 19, 2019 – March 28, 2021Hyundai Gallery Seoul, South KoreaMinjung KimMarch 4, 2020 - March 27, 2021Hill Art FoundationNew York, NY, USAMinjung Kim Solo ExhibitionSeptember 29, 2019 – March 22, 2020Langen FoundationNeuss, GermanyMinjung KimJuly 5 –September 15, 2019Catherine Issert Gallery Saint Paul de Vence, FranceMinjung KimJune 19 – September 5, 2019Galería Cayón Mahón, Menorca, SpainMountainsDecember 29, 2018Robilant+Voena GallerySt. Moritz, SwitzerlandThe Memory of Process January 25 – March 10, 2018White CubeLondon, England, UKMaking the Void, Filling the VoidAugust 22– November 25, 2018Gwangju, South KoreaPhasing2017Patrick Heide Contemporary Art London, England, UKCendre & Lumière2017Musée des Arts Asiatiques Nice, FranceOneness2017Hermès FoundationSingaporePaper, Ink and Fire: After the ProcessSeptember 1 –October 8, 2017Hyundai GallerySeoul, South KoreaPhasing2016Galerie Volker DiehlBerlin, GermanyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2016Leslie Sacks GallerySanta Monica, CA, USATraces2015OCI Museum of Art Seoul, South KoreaThe Light, The Shade, The Depth2015Luxembourg & DayanVenice Biennale, ItalyOko2014New York, NY, USASound of Light2014Galerie CommeterHamburg, GermanyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2014Studio d'Arte Raffaelli Trento, ItalyArt Genève 20142014Artgèneve Salon d'ArtGeneva, SwitzerlandMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2013Patrick Heide Contemporary ArtLondon, England, UKSound of Light2012Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Roma Rome, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2012Leslie Sacks GalleryBrentwood, CA, USAMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2012Galleria SahraiMilan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2010Galleria Sant'AngeloBiella, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2009Galleria Valeria Bella Stampe Milan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2009Patrick Heide Contemporary ArtLondon, England, UKMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2009Galleria Ermanno Tedeschi Rome, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2008Galleria Ermanno TedeschiTurin, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2008Robilant+Voena GalleryLondon, England, UKMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2008Gallerie MudimadrieAntwerp, BelgiumMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2007Shenzen, ChinaMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2007Leslie Sacks GalleryBrentwood, CA, USAMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2007Copenhagen Art GalleryCopenhagen, DenmarkMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2007Patrick Heide Contemporary ArtLondon, England, UKMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2007Giudecca795 Galleria d'Arte Venice, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2006Montecarlo Art GalleryMilan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2006Fondazione Palazzo BricherasioTurin, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2006Galleria Valeria Bella StampeMilan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2004Arte 92Milan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2004IkosMilan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2003Museo Comunale di AsconaAscona, SwitzerlandMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2003Leslie Sacks GalleryBrentwood, CA, USAMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2003Galerie Patrick GramerGeneva, SwitzerlandMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2002Galleria RecalcatiTurin, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2002Copenhagen Art GalleryCopenhagen, DenmarkMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition2002Galleria CafiscoMilan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition1999Wickiser GalleryNew York, NY, USAMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition1999Galerie Patrick GramerGeneva, SwitzerlandMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition1998Galleria Cafisco Milan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition1997Cappella di Villa RuffoloRavello, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition1996Galleria Arte BorgognaMilan, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition1996Galleria KontrasteForte dei Marmi, ItalyMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition1991Baik Song GallerySeoul, South KoreaMinjung Kim Solo Exhibition1991Injae Art Museum Gwangju, South Korea
Festival exhibitions +ArtworkFestivalDatesLocationSomewhere over the yellow sea: 4th annual Jeonnam International Sumuk BiennaleAugust 30, 2025 - October 31, 2025Jeollanam-do, South KoreaTracesArt Basel Unlimited 2024Basel, Switzerland14th Gwanju BiennaleApril 7 - July 9, 2023Gwangju, South KoreaEnter Art Fair 2022 August 24 – 27 2023Copenhagen, DenmarkEnter Art Fair 2021August 25 – 28, 2022Copenhagen, DenmarkImagined Borders: 12th Gwangju Biennale 2018 September 7 – November 11, 2018Gwangju, South KoreaThe Balance of Non-SculptingChangwon Sculpture Biennale 20184 September - 14 October 2018Chanwon, South KoreaThe Light, The Shade, The Depth2015 Venice BiennaleMay 9 – November 22, 2015Venice, Italy
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