featured artists

between order and chaos

Hee Jyung Kim has never been interested in static definitions. More than crossing borders, for her, being a transnational artist is about navigating cultural contrasts, embracing unpredictability, and allowing her work to shift and evolve in response to various movements, disruptions, and discoveries.

The idea of chaos has always intrigued her. While most people seek stability, Hee Jyung finds inspiration in moments of rupture that open new possibilities. Her work thrives in the space between order and disorder, capturing energy in its rawest form. This fascination stems not only from her personal experiences of moving between cultures but also from the artists who have influenced her along the way. She draws from Cy Twombly’s spontaneous mark-making, Tracey Emin’s emotional honesty, and Louise Bourgeois’ deeply personal narratives. William Kentridge, David Hockney, and David Shrigley have shaped her approach to storytelling, humor, and space. At the same time, Korean masters like Lee Ungno and Kwon Oh-bong have shown her how tradition can be reinterpreted in contemporary practice. Hee Jyung’s research into the Japanese Gutai movement further expanded her thinking, revealing new ways to engage with physicality, materiality, and spatial dynamics.

Despite these influences, the most defining moment in Hee Jyung’s artistic journey emerged from a simple piece of advice. While studying at Slade, UCL, her tutor, Jayne Parker, told her: “Follow your heart.” It was a straightforward statement, but at the time, it was exactly what Hee Jyung needed to hear. Lost in questions about identity and belonging in the art world, this advice freed her from the curse of overthinking, allowing her to trust her instincts and embrace her lived experiences as an integral part of her practice.

Imbibing different cultural environments has enabled Hee Jyung to see her background with fresh eyes. The tension between Korean and Western cultures in terms of emotional expression, social mobility, and identity formation has become central to her artistic language.

These ideas take shape in Finding Treasures in Mud (2023), an installation inspired by mudlarking, the practice of searching for historical artifacts along the River Thames. For Hee Jyung, the river acts as a metaphor for identity. Just as it carries remnants of different eras, blending them into a single space, our sense of self is shaped by layers of past experiences and unexpected encounters. Mudlarkers do more than collect objects; they interpret fragments, assign meaning, and form connections. Hee Jyung sees identity as a similar process of continuous discovery. The installation features mirror film layered with flowing water-like elements and drawings of the Thames and its mudlarkers. As viewers engage with the piece, their own reflection merges with the imagery, reinforcing the idea that identity is something we piece together through interactions and external cues. Vibrant yellow paper elements, designed to mimic the moment water is disturbed, add a sense of rupture, capturing transformation in motion. The interplay of light, reflection, and spatial arrangement pulls the viewer into an experience that exists somewhere between reality and imagination.

Above all, Hee Jyung wants her work to give viewers a sense of release. She wants them to feel as if they can take a deep breath and let go of whatever is confining them. Through her gestural brushstrokes, accidental marks, installations, and spatial interventions, she compels us to step spontaneously beyond our boundaries and embrace the imperfect unknown.

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