Through drawing and painting, Kam Min Kyung captures traces of life and inner memories within changing environments. She metaphorically visualizes the relationships between fragmented bodies, narratives, and embedded memories, exploring their connections through experiments of juxtaposition and layering. By allowing different perspectives to intersect, she invites viewers to experience unfamiliar worlds and leaves space for open interpretation. This journey is a contemplative process that questions the nature of common human experience.

Her major exhibitions include The Sad Nipple at The SoSo, Seoul (2023); We, on the rising waveat the Busan Biennale, Museum of Contemporary Art Busan (2022); I Was His Metaphor at PS Sarubia, Seoul (2022); Wrinkle of Memory at Area Gallery, Damyang (2021); A Night Be Gone at Gallery Chosun, Seoul (2019); A Memory Without a Roof at Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (2018); and Wouldn’t It Be a Blue Flower? at Hongti Art Center, Busan, and Kyushu Geibunkan, Fukuoka (2016), among many others.

She has also participated in both domestic and international artist residencies, including White Block, Cheonan (2018–2019); Künstlerhaus Bethanien, Berlin (2017); Hongti Art Center, Busan (2016); Kyushu Geibunkan, Fukuoka (2016); and Open Space Bae, Busan (2014).

Can you tell us about your background and how you started your artistic journey? 

My work began with drawing—walking through and observing the corners of my surroundings in Busan, the place I call home. These drawings were not simply about documenting landscapes, but about reflecting on human existence through what I saw. Early on, my studio was in a redevelopment area, and I began documenting the transformation of these spaces—first through drawing, then translating them into oil paintings. These abandoned sites felt like reflections of our inner lives, revealing layers of memory and loss. Through this process, I realized that drawing is never a perfect reproduction of reality. The gap between what is seen and what is depicted led me to explore the technique of sfumato, using layered and obscured surfaces to create blurred, atmospheric images. 

Over time, I became increasingly interested in how fragments of personal memory and sensation could be transformed into images, and how those images might connect to larger social narratives. I explore the traces of life left behind in shifting environments and the memories etched within, developing a working process in which observation, recollection, perception, and material experimentation are closely intertwined. For me, art has become a way of understanding both myself and the world around me.

What are the main themes or concepts you explore in your work?

My work begins with personal memories that are evoked in reality. Personal experiences feel isolated, but they are also deeply connected to the larger world. Images of parents, familiar people, and lived spaces become central to my work. These memories intersect with the history of Korea’s common people, where fragments of oppression and resistance surface in a non-linear way. Specific smells, lights, and sounds do not follow the flow of time or causality; instead, they emerge as fragmented images or waves of emotion, becoming the starting points of my work. Through metaphor, I unravel fragments of memory, revealing emotional layers where longing meets unease, and warmth fades into quiet solitude, all rendered in a lyrical tone. Recurring themes in my work include the metaphorical use of the body, the tension between presence and absence, and identities that remain fluid within the passage of time.

How has your artistic style evolved over time?

My early works focused mainly on representational painting based on observation. 

Gradually, my approach shifted towards expressing inner sensations through abstract images and fragmented compositions. I often combine contrasting materials and techniques—such as paper and linen, watercolor and charcoal, color and monochrome—to create scenes that incorporate multilayered perspectives rather than a single viewpoint. In particular, drawing has evolved from being a simple sketch to an independent language of its own. Over time, my work moved away from a singular narrative structure toward an open-ended narrative that embraces ambiguity and multiplicity.

Can you describe a recent project or artwork that you are particularly proud of?

Participation in the 2022 Busan Biennale with <We, on the Rising Wave> was a profoundly meaningful project for me. All three works in We, on the rising wave start from memories of Busan. Songs heard in childhood, the intersection of fact and fiction, dreamlike landscapes of life, and the presence of someone who shared those times linger as a bittersweet nostalgia for Busan held deep in the heart. “Songs of Dongsook” centers on a woman of the mother’s generation, embodied in the figure ‘Dongsook,’ capturing the emotions of that era. It was inspired by a song and novel of the same name. “Zero o’clock” and “Wave” recall places where life and death, hope and despair coexist. They combine fragments of mold in the home and dreamlike memories of alleyways, unfolding these images across the surface.

What challenges have you faced as an artist, and how have you overcome them?

One of the greatest challenges has been maintaining a balance between the demands of everyday life and the focused, extended periods of concentration that my work requires. There have also been physical and environmental difficulties—for example, working in unstable or inadequate studio conditions. I have tried to turn such situations into catalysts for new work. In fact, many of my projects have originated from unexpected events or constraints.

What do you hope people take away from your art when they experience it?

While conveying a specific message can be important, I believe that in my work, it is even more essential to create a sense of openness—a space that resonates with something within the viewer. I hope my work serves as a contemplative space that asks how we remember one another and how we are connected.

Text & photo courtesy of Kam Min Kyung

Website: http://kamminkyung.kr/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minkyungkam