bnt News | Kim Hyun Jung Introduces from the Naesoong Series, Rendering Everyday Emptiness in Korean Painting
Kim Hyun Jung shared <Naesoong: Void>, a work from her Naesoong series belonging to the 'Void (空)' group, via her Instagram, according to bnt News. The work captures moments of sudden emptiness that arise in daily life, with a shoe motif in the painting symbolizing hesitation and futility at moments of choice.
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Kim Hyun Jung Introduces <Naesoong: Void> from the Naesoong Series... Rendering Everyday Emptiness in Korean Painting (Source: Kim Hyun Jung's Instagram)
Kim Hyun Jung, who has been showing a new way for Korean painting to communicate through cheeky sensibility and contemporary interpretation, introduced <Naesoong: Void>, a work from her Naesoong series.
Kim recently shared images of the work along with her working notes on Instagram, revealing that she draws on the fleeting moments of emptiness that arise in daily life as subject matter. <Naesoong: Void> is part of the artist's ongoing 'Void (空) series,' capturing the momentary feeling and inner emptiness that surface when one pauses amid a busy daily routine.
Kim Hyun Jung Introduces <Naesoong: Void> from the Naesoong Series... Rendering Everyday Emptiness in Korean Painting (Source: Kim Hyun Jung's Instagram)
Unlike her neat, elegant appearance, the figure in the work reveals an emptiness that lies in a corner of her heart. In particular, the shoes placed throughout the frame are a symbolic motif Kim uses repeatedly with attachment, metaphorically expressing the hesitation and futility felt at moments of choice. Much like the feeling of having "nothing to wear" even with a closet full of clothes, the scene of pausing in front of shoes intuitively evokes the psychology of contemporary people.
Kim said, "There are moments when, in the middle of doing something, I suddenly think, 'What am I doing right now?'" adding, "I wanted to record that empty, fleeting moment in a painting." She continued, "What appears perfect on the outside — the honest feelings hidden within may be our true selves."
Kim Hyun Jung's work, which layers contemporary narrative and wit onto traditional Korean painting techniques, is broadening its connection with younger generations, true to her nickname 'the idol of Korean painting.' <Naesoong: Void> from the Naesoong series likewise delicately captures the texture of everyday life and emotion, once again showing that Korean painting can become a contemporary language.
Reporter Shin Se-hwa
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