SUNNY KIM : ISLANDS

Sunny Kim reconstructs emotions of loss and displacement into an image that blurs the boundaries between reality and illusion. In her new paintings, presented in this online exhibition, ‘Islands’, classic elements of nature such as rocks, trees, and water are invoked alongside abstracted forms, such as the round fluffy organisms that permeate through her landscapes. The atmosphere is dark and hazy, yet light in weight, leaving an impression of a floating world containing fleeting images that may seem familiar, yet ethereal. 

Kim often employs ‘Girls in uniform’ as a symbolic image that expresses the psychological presence of what has been lost. It is borne from the abrupt shift in the artist’s youth as an immigrant from Korea to America, where experiences of uncertainty and vulnerability in her formative years left enduring feelings of disconnect in Kim. She collages fragments of her memories and time, both experienced and imagined, to build an emotional and sensory landscape. These images are used as instruments for building a world that keeps editing itself between imagination, hope, and darkness - while imbuing it with a sense of grounding.