<Transmuted Existence> Exhibition view, YEMCA, 2024

Kim Heejung developed a deep love for books during her childhood, assisting her composer father in binding sheet music into book form. She perceives books not merely as tools for conveying information but as artistic mediums capable of capturing imagination and emotion. Drawing on Eastern philosophy and a positive perspective on life, Kim incorporates surreal elements and symbolic meanings into her works, creating a distinctive world where form and symbolism merge. Her art visualizes the flow of life through themes of encounters, farewells, and impermanence, blending personal experiences with universal symbols.

Kim’s works juxtapose dreams and reality, mythological elements, and everyday objects, crafting a visual language that connects humanity, the universe, and the spiritual realm. Through repetitive processes, she imbues her art with meditative and healing energy, offering viewers a transcendent experience beyond time and space. Her pieces, particularly those created by draping and stitching fabric, reveal the essence of ordinary objects, transforming them into mysterious and captivating forms with profound meaning. Kim Heejung’s art transcends societal conflicts and the constraints of reality, embodying a journey toward inner peace and personal freedom. Her works inspire deep reflection, encouraging audiences to explore the harmony between the self and the world.

Viva Spain series, 1foot×12feet, wood paper marker, 2024

From the Mundane world to the Celestial World (Detail view)

Mandala of Day and Night, 45×45inches, watercolor gold and white marker on paper, 2019

ariation of Celestial Mandala, 45×45inches, watercolor gold and white marker on paper, 2017

<Transmuted Existence> Exhibition view, YEMCA, 2024

Education
2001 Courses finished of MA in Art History, The City College, CUNY, NY, USA

1994 MFA, State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY, USA

1991 MA in Art Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL, USA

1989 MFA course in Painting, Duk-Sung Women’s University, Seoul, South Korea

1987 BFA, Duk-Sung Women’s University, Seoul, South Korea

Selected Solo Exhibitions
2024 Transmuted Existence, YEMCA, Gwangju, South Korea
2023 The Power of the Gaze: Eli Chrysidou and Heejung Kim, Paris Koh Fine Arts, New Jersey, USA
2018 Heejung Kim & Val Sivilli: Recent Works, Raritan Valley Community College, New Jersey, USA
2017 Map of the Universe, Gallery d’Arte, Chelsea, New York, USA
2011 Meditation on Repetition, Hammond Museum, New York, USA
2011 The Eyes of Mind, Gallery 1&9, New Jersey, USA

Selected Group Exhibitions
2024 Constellations, The Harold B. Lemmerman Gallery, New Jersey, USA
2023 Between Line and Thread, Think!Chinatown, Manhattan, New York, USA
2023 Constellations, Ben Shahn Center For The Visual Arts, William Paterson University, New Jersey, USA
2022 Circles-Centrifugal & Centripetal, Paris Koh Fine Arts, New Jersey, USA
2022 Goodbye 2022, Hi-Light Exhibition, Paris Koh Fine Arts, New Jersey, USA
2021 Friends, , Museum of Russian Art, New Jersey, USA