Esther DY Kim

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Kim's work delivers a sense of happiness in the form of appreciation for tedious moments in life. Kim's work begins with recognizing and recollecting ordinary yet precious pieces of life within her family. She is determined to celebrate her surrounding environments immersed in nature. Kim's subject matter explores the concept of Biophilia (which directly translates to "a love of life"), an innate human instinct to be connected with nature. Kim seeks to utilize the beauty and solace of nature in her paintings to deliver a sense of joy and comfort. 

Kim's art practice is intuitive, schematic, and almost childlike—reminiscing naïve moments for viewers to escape reality's complexity. She explores simple, flat forms to encompass expressive, whimsical, calm, and joyous moments. Kim adds soft colours to bring a sense of tranquillity and vibrant colours to deliver energy and power to the simplification and abstraction in her artmaking. She uses various mediums to create whimsical textures and squeezes paints almost like frosting a dessert. 

Kim shares her genuine gratitude for life and surrenders contemplation and tension, exploring the idea of family, home, and nature. Her works are an outlet of comfort, an undemanding space of serenity.

New Normal
"New Normal" captured the tantrum and irony of 2020 when a roll of tissue was worshipped like it had been gold plated, and masks and sanitizers were satirical icons of luxury. The lack of warmth during the pandemic has dehumanized all of us into cold, apathetic figures anchored distantly, and we have placed ourselves on the bloated tower of wealth that may perish any minute. In the new world full of ironies -the skyrocketing stock market while millions lost their job and spiking interest in the virtual world to seek proximity distantly- I am waiting for the salvation about to come.
Work Credit: 
Esther DY Kim
Hithertoe
"Hithertoe" is one of my COVID-19 series, showing my brother standing still with his phone in his hand locked in an obscured space. My brother is like a stiff statue expressing his despair from disconnection during the locked down. The phone in his hand signifies the extension of remote work only allows him to communicate digitally. The hidden items at the back are toilet paper which became a coveted item worldwide, and cans which identify people purchasing large amounts of household goods in fear of shortage. This picture is what we were all facing during the pandemic--our new reality. Through my painting, I wanted to address the isolation the pandemic brought to all of us and the robotized human connections lacking intimacy and warmth. My brother and maybe people around us are overcoming the situation in their way. I know this difficult time has an end, and I send the dove through the window as Noah did during the flood. The tipping toe of the yellow figure towards the outside world at the left shows that we are ready to end this grim reality.
Work Credit: 
Esther DY Kim
Submerging in Joy
The drowning image is my first memory of trauma, which became a source of fear from drowning in a swimming pool when I was nine. The body is painted in dark, morbid colours surrounded by post-modernistic pink. In the adoption of abstractionism, the image is fused with graphical colours and simple forms of post-modernistic elements. The theme of the series “Submerge” addresses my deepest fear and discovers my identity by overcoming my fear of memory. The experience of almost dying became my most vivid inspiration, and the process of painting gave birth to my creativity. The bubbles bubbling around my mouth signifies infinite colours, shapes, and possibilities from chaos to abstract forms. The image juxtaposes opposing elements I exhale; I gave birth to bubbles of creativity. By consistently confronting and overcoming my anxiety, I find beauty in accepting my vulnerability and finding hope in conquering my deepest fear.
Work Credit: 
Esther DY Kim
Alone Time
Sunflower series depict Kim’s gratitude towards her everyday moments and human’s innate instinct to abide in nature. The sunflower symbolizes happiness, optimism, and peace, a universal message to bring joy to people. Kim seeks to utilize the beauty and solace of nature in her paintings to deliver a sense of pleasure and comfort.
Work Credit: 
Esther DY Kim
Sunflowers and a cup of coffee
Sunflower series depict Kim’s gratitude towards her everyday moments and human’s innate instinct to abide in nature. The sunflower symbolizes happiness, optimism, and peace, a universal message to bring joy to people. Kim seeks to utilize the beauty and solace of nature in her paintings to deliver a sense of pleasure and comfort.
Work Credit: 
Esther DY Kim
Bio: 

Esther Kim is a South Korean Canadian raised in Vancouver and currently a Toronto-based artist. She majored in a Bachelor of Fine Arts from OCAD University (Ontario College of Art and Design University). Kim recently received The Power Plant Emerging Artist Award at Toronto Art Fair in 2022 and The Best of Painting Award at the Toronto Outdoor Art Fair in 2021.

Romania
Bucharest
Bahrain
Bahrain
United States
Napa
Australia
Melbourne
india
Ghaziabad

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