Kim Woong Hyun works on video, performance, and installation. Kim integrates a variety of elements such as science and technology, pop culture, history, and social issues to tell his distinctive narration. He received both a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Painting from Kookmin University. Since 2011, Kim has held a number of solo exhibitions, including the Crumpled Man exhibit at Gallery 2 last year.

Kim will be showing new work at Kiaf SEOUL 2023 HIGHLIGHT, which is a 3D video art of a collection of tools related to the human body. Kim says, “I stacked human tools that come into direct contact with the body: prosthetics that replace our body parts, medical tools that heal injuries, tools that help humans surpass their physical speed and power limitations, tools that satisfy our sexual pleasure or aid in fulfilling gender identity, and tools help us immerse ourselves in virtual reality. Doing so, I created a still life.” The discarded tools create a desolate landscape.

When he creates media art, Kim puts the most emphasis on the audience experience. He calls this “game thinking.” It doesn’t mean that the pieces can be played like games. Rather, it’s about the viewer actively engaging with the work’s narrative structure in depth. Kim says, “This is another reason why I chose still life video art, which can show the passage of time, over still life painting, which simply hangs on the wall. By placing this piece in a special location, I wanted to make the viewers feel alive, like time is moving again after having stopped.”

Kim is an artist who always studies new things. Kim states, “I’ve recently been focusing on how the landscape of art has been altered by COVID-19. I spend most of my time studying history or writing.” Kim is now contemplating how our lives will change should the human body degenerate in the future. “I interpret the word ‘environment’ as ‘digital media ecosystem.’ In this world, humans are unable to detach themselves from their bodies so they attach various machines to themselves, which they must drag along. This idea inspired this artwork as well, and I intend to write a paper on this subject later on.”

Another inspiration for the artwork was the Vanitas still life from the 16^th century which he saw during his trip overseas. After seeing these paintings which depict death and the transience of life, he was submerged in the idea of the futility of life. Kim says he “felt that humanity’s struggle to expand reality with various tools that augment our bodies was tragic and futile at the same time.”

According to Kim, video art should leave the audience with a lasting impression. He emphasizes that the piece featured in the exhibition has a format which allows it to be kept and played.