Kim Sung Yoon (b. 1985) delves into the issue of transitional discontinuation in his unique practice and the artistic concerns of a painter living in the contemporary world. His recent works focus on the still life painting genre as it allows the artist to connect emotionally on things that are pushed aside and no longer part of the mainstream. In a way, this is also the case for an outdated genre in today’s contemporary art world dominated by conceptual art. Recent series focus on diverse subjects such as a 19th century homage to John Singer Sargent depicting contemporary figures in older Olympic sport contests or depictions of his favorite artists as zombies in hypothetical situations. Each a bold and refreshing output via appropriation, collaboration and recontexualization.
In a continuation of his practice utilizing art historical archives as the foundation of his creative pursuits, his most recent works reinterpret the meaning of the flower still life genre in a contemporary context. Certain works reproduce Édouard Manet’s flower still life paintings made by the artist during his later bedridden years. By modulating the overall tonality using only black and white, Kim adds solemnity in an homage to Manet’s late works while simultaneously capturing the temporal space between life and death. Other are influenced by the lavish and extravagant styles of the 17th century Dutch masters. In these works, Kim re-arranges flowers from different seasons via images culled from the internet (what he terms “Google arrangements”) and digitally placing them into ceramic vases crafted by his artist colleagues adding another contemporary element to the genre. In other works, the artist fills the frame with the colors of corporate logos from the glass food containers that were used as props to hold the flowers as used by his family. By inverting the placement of the logos, the symbolic face of capitalism, at the bottom center of the frame the artist is willing to invert traditional values and add a sense of kitschiness to the work while at the same time celebrating aspects of ordinary life.
2019년 갤러리현대에서 열린 개인전 《Arrangement》에서는 ‘화가가 꽃을 꽂는 세가지 방법’이라는 큰 틀 아래 꽃 그림이 가지는 의미를 작가의 시선으로 재해석한 신작 47점을 선보였다. 전시에서 그의 작품들은 지금 왜 다시 꽃 그림인가라는 의구심을 넘어 이들 장르가 미술사 속에서 쌓아온 관행과 소통 방식, 역사를 모티브 삼아 동시대의 삶의 궤적과 일상을 살필 수 있게 하였다. 이와 더불어 작가는 아무리 기술이 발달한 시대라도 손을 이용하여 작품을 제작하는 과정이 담지하는 즐거움을 통해 무엇을 왜 어떻게 재현할 것인가에 답하였다.