Ilhwa Kim
Ilhwa Kim (b. 1967, South Korea) creates mesmerising works composed of tens of thousands of individually crafted paper elements, which she calls "seed units." Each seed unit, a combination of straight lines and circles, represents a tiny, singular universe. The Korean artist dyes each sheet of paper by hand with thousands of different colors before meticulously cutting and rolling the layers to make them rigid. This intensive, personal process establishes an emotional bond between the artist and every single universe, ensuring that no two elements share the exact same shape, appearance, or color.
Kim's tactile universe skillfully blurs the distinction between sculpture and painting, creating a ceaseless, relaxed conversation between sculptural weight and a painterly surface quality. The work's perception transforms dramatically depending on the viewing distance; a sense of completion is never reached as each observation shifts the perspective from the moment before. Kim’s universes are free from a single optimum viewpoint. Viewing the work closely reveals the seeds lodged tightly in the surface, appearing to push and pull as if about to sprout. From a distance, however, the work transforms into waves lashing out from its confines.
Ilhwa Kim's mesmeric paper compositions have earned her four major awards, including The Grand Art Prize, the MANIF Seoul 1999 Excellence Award, and The 16th Grand Art Exhibition of Korea. Her distinguished creative practice has been recognized by The Washington Post, Euronews, and the Financial Times.
Notable artworks are held in the permanent collections of the Sungkok Museum (Seoul) and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (Seoul). Significant exhibitions and solo shows include: ‘Seed Universe 天下圖’ at the Dennos Museum, MI, USA (2016); the artist’s solo exhibition at Seonam Museum, Seoul (1997); “Beyond Visibility” at Gallery Hue, Singapore; and “Seeds of the Univers,” “Seed System,” and “Sensory Portrait” at the House of Fine Art Gallery in Mayfair, London.
Actively acquired by museums and present in significant collections worldwide, Kim has successfully entered the auction world, achieving a groundbreaking result. Her work, “Tuner's Notes,” auctioned during the 20th Century & Contemporary Art & Design Day Sale at PHILLIPS, Hong Kong, on November 30, 2022, sold for three times the estimate price, setting an entirely new benchmark for the value of her artworks and transitioning her into a new phase of her career.
