The Way We Were: Yool Kim

Continuing her ongoing exploration of the inner self, Kim’s figures feature multiple faces repeated along their limbs and bodies, physically embodying the many selves, emotions and histories that make up a single individual. This layered depiction creates a sense of fluid identity, revealing the complexity of human experience. Her work resonates with a distinctly spiritual energy, rich in symbolism, creating its own modern folklore inviting viewers to reflect deeply on their own emotional landscapes.

“Despite complexity and confusion, what remains is warmth, the tenderness of being together,” Kim reflects.

Through relaxed postures and embracing poses she seeks to express a lingering sense of longing, memory, warmth and compassion. The figures’ gazes are directed in different ways suggesting emotional instability and uncertain times; yet the overarching feeling is one of connection and hope.

With The Way We Were, Kim viewers are welcomed into a poignant world of reflection. The exhibition asks us to recall days when we were united not only in body but in soul, a heartfelt meditation on empathy, coexistence and the enduring power of human connection.

Yool Kim graduated from Hongik University Graduate School of Industry in 2015 with a degree in Colour Studies. Blending Eastern and Western influences and a distinctive colour palette, Kim's work has been widely exhibited internationally, including in New York, East Asia, and Europe, and she is regarded as one of South Korea’s most promising contemporary artists.