Pocket Utopia proudly announces "I Still Smell Like Home" a solo show by Young Kim and curated by Shayan Nazarian .
Young Kim's work dynamically explores the relationship between the artist and nature. His
canvases are bold and colorful, featuring compositions that include groups of figures, cherry
blossoms, soldiers, ducks, and rivers. Using brighter colors and imaginative themes, Kim's
paintings invite viewers into a world where reality and imagination coexist harmoniously.
His paintings are a testament to the versatility and depth required of contemporary artists today.
Kim's journey as a painter has been shaped by his experiences in various cultural hubs, such as
New York, Tokyo, Boston, and Seoul, as well as his recent decision to move to Jakarta. This
diverse background has enriched his practice, allowing him to create works that resonate with
various audiences.
In his own words, Kim describes the urgency in his painting as akin to the frustration of trying to
communicate something essential yet elusive. His art is characterized by vigilance, empathy,
and sensitivity, capturing the fleeting sparks of great moments on canvas. His compositions are
not merely static representations but are ever-evolving vessels of memories and emotions.
The exhibition will feature a series of new works that highlight Kim's distinctive style and
thematic focus. Visitors can expect to see a rich interplay of colors and forms, where each
painting tells a story of love, pain, death, and the intricate dance between humans and nature.
We invite everyone to the opening reception on July 22, from 6 pm to 8 pm.
What does it mean to be a painter today?
I think we live in an extremely complex moment, physically and mentally. I personally wish it was as simple as just picking up a brush and continuing to paint.
In reality, this isn’t the case, painters now need to operate with more versatility to navigate varying logistical, cultural and economical challenges.
The survival of the painter (especially new & emerging) involves the addressing and balancing of reality and ideals.
What does urgency mean when applied to a canvas?
When I was a child I remember how frustrating it was to spell or to write. I remember how crippling it felt when there was something very specific I wanted to deliver but didn’t know how. To not be able to communicate an experience or feeling felt equivalent to suffocating.
Painting somewhat feels similar, I never fully know how to do something whether it’s technical or conceptual - hence, there is a lot of intuition and struggle involved before any realization. And for me, urgency in play painting translates to vigilance, empathy and sensitivity, it’s an urgency and need to pay attention to what is important.
This urgency that I mention of, may be related to the instinct to survive spiritually as a person. And the great moments in paintings are usually small sparks that you need to notice, then expand and retain. It is a repetitive process that needs attention.
Where do you paint?
I paint on the go, recently I’ve been traveling a lot. The great thing about being a painter is that we have the privilege to go mobile if needed, at least from how I’m experiencing it.
I paint sometimes in garages, airbnbs, home offices, greenhouses, friend’s studio spaces and just really any empty space with a sink near by.
In major cultural hubs like New York, Tokyo, Beijing, London and Seoul, where space is scarce and artists are abundant, the search for a working and exhibiting space becomes an issue.In the past I’ve tried adapting to New York and Seoul. From my own experience the tradeoff for situating myself in a vibrant and active city was the financial burden that came with this lifestyle.
Hence, this circumstance equated to the lack of time to paint. I think I’m feeling more ambitious about painting recently which led to the decision to take a leap of faith to move out to Jakarta.
Artists diaspora in search of affordable working environment has always been part of our narrative. For me finding new places to continue my practice has helped build a practice that is versatile enough to survive as an artist.
Then there’s different surfaces to paint, on the floor, tables and walls. Each surface comes with a set of freedom but also restrictions. There are tradeoffs in the physicality of the painting, these surfaces also trigger different approaches to application, sometimes painting the traditional Korean way and sometimes the western way.
What are your dreams and goals?
Currently, my focus is really about sharing deeper thoughts with people. I think at this moment my dreams and goals have become less significant, perhaps because my father is extremely sick and many close family members have been passing.
I pray a lot but it’s for others and I paint a lot to share my thoughts and moments with people that may become unavailable in the future. I guess, my goal is to not regret a few years later, pondering on the thought of what if; I had spoken more to them, I had shared who I am and how I remember this world.
My intent is to have all the conversations that I wanted to have with the people I care for. Painting is just a mere tool and language that feels comfortable for me to do this in.
I think I was more naive a couple years ago, death was never this close, now it feels like a fire approaching my front steps, and I’m just preparing to let go. And painting helps me live in this critical moment, focus on the important things that truly matter to me.
How does one paint memories?
Memories are rather abstract unlike a photograph. They aren’t static, memories can be altered, amplified and repaired.
The same memory always looks different at different moments and for me this is what’s intriguing. Painting memories for me starts off with a core subject matter, a strong event or image that provokes me to start painting. Often they start harsh and crude stylistically and from there on I let painting take its course of action.
My paintings are like vessels that help give form to what seems intangible and nonphysical. But they aren’t definitive as well. The paintings tend to piggy back off of each other showing different vessels it can live in. It helps me shape these memories into something physical for the moment, but then they continue to change.
I want to emphasize on love, pain and death.
The complementary relationship of love and pain has always served as a intriguing subject matter for me. More recently, I’ve started to experience death and absence, which has been introduced in my work more frequently in the most recent paintings.
