project space KIMGO as guest at Galerie Anna25
In the second exhibition of our cooperation series Spectrum of Life, Jinran Kim focuses on the deeply rooted spiritual aesthetics of Korea. While the first exhibition focused on primal instincts and desire, Kim takes us into a world of stillness and contemplation. She examines the existential transitions from birth to marriage to death and asks how these universal stages can be translated visually in modern society.
A central work in the exhibition is the artistic reinterpretation of traditional Korean houses. Kim transforms this architecture into art objects and thus creates a bridge between the private living space and cultural identity. This space is complemented by a monumental work depicting a temple with 108 steps. Each step symbolizes a question about the meaning of life and death and invites visitors to physically and mentally retrace the path of reflection.
The examination of human existence continues on the walls. In the work The Last Mattress, Kim addresses the bed as the central place of our existence: it is the place where we are born, where we rest and where we ultimately die. Here, the mattress becomes a witness to an entire life cycle. Other wall works show artistic representations of nature that encompass both this world and the spirit world, thus blurring the boundary between life and death.
The artist sets a critical accent with her work End of Lee Dynasty. Here she sheds light on the historical oppression of women in Korea and interweaves socio-political issues with the theme of tradition.
Jinran Kim’s exhibition is a search for the sublimity of parting and the awe of new beginnings. With a variety of materials and forms of expression, she creates an atmosphere that reaches far beyond the visible and makes the stillness of eternity tangible.